"A Pictorial Gallery of Bob Dylan in New York, 1961"

The Trip Continues . . . Expand Your Mind

BEFORE THE FLOOD: A Pictorial Gallery of Bob Dylan in New York, 1961

It can easily be argued that the foundation of Bob Dylan's musical education occurred when he first arrived in New York City in January 1961.Indeed, everything seemed to come together for him shortly after his arrival. He came to NYC with two things first and foremost in his mind.

Within days of arriving Dylan searched out, found and visited the ailing Woody Guthrie at Greystone Park State Hospital. He then proceeded to immerse himself in the thriving culture and music of Greenwich Village, soaking up the sites and sounds of its vibrant Folk scene while playing many of its cramped, smoke-filled coffeehouses like The Commons, The Gaslight and The Limelight for an audience of writers, musicians and fellow Bohemians alike.

Fresh-faced, wide-eyed and unguarded, these pictures, taken in December 1961, capture a twenty-going-on-forty year old Dylan teetering on the brink of superstardom. Soon, he would be laying down the tracks for his first album and thus beginning a forty year musical journey that would see him become one of the most important artists of our times.