Great American Songbook: The Music of Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s career began in the early 1960s with songs that chronicled the significant social issues of the time. He was inspired by traditional folk music and brought his piercing and poetic lyrics to songs such as “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” which reflected the tension and unrest of the civil rights and anti-war movements. His songs of protest and turmoil spoke to an entire generation and turned Dylan into a cultural and political icon who played to sold-out concert halls around the world. Dylan was the voice of his generation and electrified the world when he moved to a harder-edged style at Newport in 1965.

Dylan’s accolades are many. He was Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988; Rolling Stone magazine has named “Like a Rolling Stone” the No. 1 song of all time; and Dylan has 12 other songs on the magazine’s list of the Top 500. Over more than four decades, Dylan has produced 500 songs and more than 40 albums.

At this concert, Berklee students and faculty will pay tribute to Dylan’s prolific career by performing new arrangements of Dylan’s most memorable and influential songs.