Robert Baird

It seems like something amazingly profound should spring to mind on this, the occasion of Bob Dylan’s 75th birthday, however the stark facts are enough. He is, in the rarely used best sense of the word, the most impressive monster the world of popular music has ever produced. It’s hard to even find words big enough to express what he’s accomplished. Still on the road for most of the year at 75, still making important records, still writing songs, the man is a mountain, an ocean, a titanic force unlike any other. His mass of original material is the most influential body of work ever produced by a single songwriter. His recorded catalog , which he continues to add to in amazing ways (his incredible cover of “Some Enchanted Evening” on his “Sinatra” record, 2014’s Shadows in the Night comes instantly to mind) is almost a world unto itself. Even if you don’t want to venture into that universe—”I hate his voice,” goes the most common complaint—you have to admit it’s vast and enduring. For those who love the man and his work, his achievements grow more impressive by the hour. Happy Birthday Bobby Z. Thanks for the effort and the genius. And please keep those new records and neverending concert tours coming.