Bob Dylan
The 1963 release of "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" marked Dylan's emergence as one of the most original and poetic voices in the history of American popular music. The album included two of the most memorable 1960s folk songs, "Blowin' in the Wind" (which later became a huge hit for the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary) and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." His next album, "The Times They Are A-Changin'", firmly established Dylan as the definitive songwriter of the 60s protest movement. This reputation only increased after he became involved with one of the movement's established icons, Joan Baez, in 1963. While his romantic relationship with Baez lasted only two years, it benefited both performers immensely in terms of their music careers. Dylan wrote some of Baez's best-known material, and Baez introduced him to thousands of fans through her concerts. By 1964, Dylan was playing 200 concerts per year, but had become tired of his role as "the" folk singer-songwriter of the protest movement. "Another Side of Bob Dylan," recorded in 1964, was a much more personal, introspective collection of songs, far less politically charged than Dylan's previous efforts.