In the late 1950’s, a young man named Robert Zimmerman moved to Minneapolis to enroll in the University of Minnesota. To explore his love of music, he played in local coffee houses and bars, strumming his acoustic guitar and warbling out strange lyrics in a voice somewhere between naturally and deliberately awful. Now, to honor Bob Dylan’s 69th birthday, amateur musicians filled Minneapolis’s 400 Bar to participate in the 30th annual Bob Dylan sound-alike contest.
The stand-out, as usual, was Max Etling, from the awesomely-named town of Wayzata. Etling, despite only being 14, took to the stage to play the Dylan song “Shot of Love” on the acoustic guitar, then later joined the band Punks and Drunks to play electric. Etling won the contest last year, at age 13; no winner was named this year. Etling has been participating in the Dylan singing contest since he was in sixth grade.
To honor Bob, let’s play my favorite song of his, and what is probably the first modern music video: “Subterranean Homesick Blues” from D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back.
Tags: Robert Zimmerman, Bob Dylan, 400 Bar, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bob Dylan soundalike contest, Max Etling, Wayzata, Minnesota, Bob Dylan’s 69th birthday