MusicNewsTidBits.com

This guy just keeps doing it over and over again.  His new album titled ‘Western Stars’ is his 20th top 10 album on Billboard 200.  His first top 10 album was Born to Run wayyyy back in 1975.   He’s on a list of 10 other groups that have had 20 or more top 10 albums:

The Rolling Stones – 37

Barbara Streisand – 34

The Beatles – 32

Frank Sinatra – 32

Elvis Presley – 27

Bob Dylan – 22

Madonna – 22

George Strait – 21

Elton John – 20

Paul McCartney/Wings – 20

No he’s not going Metal, but he is getting an actual medal. The Presidential Medal of Freedom to be exact. He is among 13 recipients to get this award in the spring of this year at the White House.

The award is the nations highest civilian honor to individuals who “have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

President Obama stated in a press release

“These extraordinary honorees come from different backgrounds and different walks of life, but each of them has made a lasting contribution to the life of our Nation They’ve challenged us, they’ve inspired us, and they’ve made the world a better place. I look forward to recognizing them with this award.”

Remember back in February President Obama had a Civil Rights show at the White House and Bob Dylan performed ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’? President Obama came out and spoke about meeting Dylan and his performance. Obama says usually musicians want to do a meet and greet with him and Michelle but not Dylan. Check out what the President said:

“He wouldn’t come to the rehearsal; usually, all these guys are practicing before the set in the evening. He didn’t want to take a picture with me; usually all the talent is dying to take a picture with me and Michelle [Obama, First Lady] before the show, but he didn’t show up to that. He came in and played ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’. A beautiful rendition. The guy is so steeped in this stuff that he can just come up with some new arrangement, and the song sounds completely different. Finishes the song, steps off the stage – I’m sitting right in the front row – comes up, shakes my hand, sort of tips his head, gives me just a little grin and then leaves. And that was it – then he left. That was our only interaction with him. I thought, ‘That’s how you want Bob Dylan, right?’ You don’t want him to be all cheesin’ and grinnin’ with you. You want him to be a little skeptical about the whole enterprise.”

On February 11th President and Mrs. Obama will host the “In Performance at the White House:  A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement” that will broadcast on PBS in honor of Black History Month.  Queen Latifah and Morgan Freeman will be the guest speakers with tons of artists:  Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Bob Dylan, Mellencamp, Smokey, Seal and much more.  I’ll probably record it.

Yes, after 6 years of him dying, he’s putting out his last album on February 26th which would be his 78th birthday.  The albums called ‘American VI: Ain’t No Grave and is the final of recordings done with Rick Rubin.  There’s some songs written by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and a song previously done by Bob Dylan.

Ok, I have an update.  Turns out the poem that we thought was good ol’ 16 year old Bob Dylan titled “Little Buddy” wasn’t written by him.  It was actually a revised version of lyrics of a Hank Snow song.  Oh well, it’s still going up for auction and will still sell for the reported $15,000.

The auction house Christies has a piece of history for sale.  That’s right, a two-page poem written by Bobby Zimmerman, or as we know him, Bob Dylan.  Titled “Little Buddy” it was written in the mid 50’s for ‘The Herzl Herald’ which was the newspaper of Northwestern Wisconsin’s Herzl Camp where he was a little camper. Apparently it’s about a little dog who is killed by a drunk guy.  It’s on sale until June 23rd and if you have about $10,000 – $15,000 you can own it.  But you can read it here if you don’t

Broken hearted and so sad
Big blue eyes all covered with tears
Was a picture of sorrow to see

Kneeling close to the side
Of his pal and only pride
A little lad, these words he told me

He was such a lovely doggy
And to me he was such fun
But today as we played by the way

A drunken man got mad at him
Because he barked in joy
He beat him and he’s dying here today

Will you call the doctor please
And tell him if he comes right now
He’ll save my precious doggy here he lay

Then he left the fluffy head
But his little dog was dead
Just a shiver and he slowly passed away

He didn’t know his dog had died
So I told him as he cried
Come with me son we’ll get that doctor right away

But when I returned
He had his little pal upon his knee
And the teardrops, they were blinding his big blue eyes

Your too late sir my doggy’s dead
And no one can save him now
But I’ll meet my precious buddy up in the sky

By a tiny narrow grave
Where the willows sadly wave
Are the words so clear you’re sure to find

Little Buddy Rest In Peace
God Will Watch You Thru The Years
Cause I Told You In My Dreams That You
Were Mine