Like many great heroes, Bob Dylan was an unlikely one. The Minnesota native was not born an obvious performer or musical icon, let alone the person who would bring a consciousness to popular music or usher in a unique storytelling style that also produced industry-altering commercial success. And yet, he weaved together literature and poetry with pop music that changed the course of American musical history. Fame, awards, a fair bit of controversy, and legendary status would all follow after his creative vision was released to the world, most memorably with his critically acclaimed second studio album—1963’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Sixty years later, the album still redefines what music can do. This is the story of how it all came together.
