Bob Dylan sued for alleged sexual abuse of 12-year-old in 1960s

An unnamed woman has sued folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan alleging he sexually abused her after giving her drugs and alcohol in 1965 when she was 12 years old.

A spokesman for Dylan, now 80, said the allegations were false. "The 56-year-old claim is untrue and will be vigorously defended," the spokesman said.

In a civil lawsuit filed late on Friday with the New York Supreme Court, the woman identified only as J.C. said Dylan sexually abused her at his New York apartment over a six-week period "leaving her emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day."

Dylan, who was in his mid-20s at the time, "exploited his status as a musician to provide J.C. with alcohol and drugs and sexually abuse her multiple times," the lawsuit said.

The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages. Her lawsuit was submitted just ahead of a New York state deadline, authorized in a 2019 law, for people to file legal claims involving allegations of sexual abuse of children that in the past were too old to pursue due to a statute of limitations.

Dylan emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960s to become one of the most acclaimed and influential artists of the rock era with hits including "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Like a Rolling Stone."

He has sold more than 125 million records globally and won the Nobel prize for literature in 2016.

-reuters-

Dylan's 'Times They Are A-Changin'' lyrics for sale for $2.2 million

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics to his 1960s classic “The Times They Are A-Changin’” are going up for sale with a $2.2 million asking price in what could mark a world record for rock lyrics.

Gary Zimet, owner of Los Angeles-based autograph dealers Moments in Time, said on Sunday the one-page sheet of lyrics, written in a notebook and with changes and scribbles, was originally owned by Dylan’s current manager, Jeff Rosen, and was now being sold by an anonymous private collector.

“It’s not an auction. It’s a private sale. First come, first served,” Zimet told Reuters.

Dylan’s handwritten lyrics to “Like a Rolling Stone” fetched a world-record $2 million when they were sold at auction by Sotheby’s in New York in 2014.

“The Times They Are A-Changin’”, written by Dylan in 1963 and released on his 1964 album of the same name, is regarded as one of the most iconic protest songs of the 1960s.

Zimet said he was also selling the lyrics of two other Dylan songs - his 1965 track “Subterranean Homesick Blues” for $1.2 million, and 1969 ballad “Lay Lady Lay” for $650,000.

“They are not quite as important, as iconic,” said Zimet, explaining the lower prices. “‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ is certainly a major, major song but not in the same league as ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’.”

The lyrics to popular songs, especially when handwritten and with scratched-out ideas or doodles, have become some of the most sought-after items for collectors of celebrity memorabilia.

Don McLean’s 16-page draft for “American Pie” fetched $1.2 million in 2015, while Paul McCartney’s scribbled partial lyrics for a recording of “Hey Jude” sold for $910,000 at an online auction earlier this month.

Dylan, 78, last month released his first original music in eight years with a 17-minute song called “Murder Most Foul” that was inspired by the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. In 2016, Dylan became the only singer-songwriter to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Peter Cooney

Bob Dylan won't attend Nobel prize ceremony

STOCKHOLM - American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature last month, has decided not to attend the award ceremony in Stockholm, the Swedish Academy said on Wednesday.

The notoriously media-shy Dylan said three weeks ago he would accept the 8 million crown ($870,000) prize, after repeated attempts by the award-giving academy to contact him since it named him as the winner on Oct. 13.

The Academy said on its website that it had received a letter from Dylan explaining that due to "pre-existing commitments" he was unable to travel to Stockholm in December.

"We look forward to Bob Dylan's Nobel Lecture, which he must give - it is the only requirement - within six months counting from December 10," it said in a statement, adding that it would provide additional information on Friday Nov. 18.

The lecture need not be delivered in Stockholm. When British novelist Doris Lessing was awarded the Nobel literature prize in 2007, she composed a lecture and sent it to her Swedish publisher, who read it out at a ceremony in the Swedish capital.

Other Nobel Prize winners who have not attended the prize ceremony include Britain's Harold Pinter and Elfriede Jelinek of Austria.

The ceremony is planned to be held on Dec. 10.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize for Literature

STOCKHOLM - Bob Dylan, regarded as the voice of a generation for his influential songs from the 1960s onwards, has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in a surprise decision that gave a singer-songwriter one of the world's most prestigious cultural awards.

His songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind," "Masters of War," "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall," "The Times They Are a-Changin," "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Like a Rolling Stone" captured a spirit of rebellion, dissent and independence.

"Dylan has the status of an icon. His influence on contemporary music is profound," the Swedish Academy said on Thursday, when it awarded the 8 million Swedish crown ($930,000) prize.

More than 50 years on, Dylan is still writing songs and is often on tour.

"He is probably the greatest living poet," Swedish Academy member Per Wastberg said.

Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Nobel Academy, told a news conference there was "great unity" in the panel's decision to give Dylan the prize.

Literature was the last of this year's Nobel prizes to be awarded. The prize is named after dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will.

($1 = 8.6231 Swedish crowns)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Madonna, Kesha, Dion rule the stage at emotional Billboard Awards

Madonna paid tribute to Prince, Kesha earned a standing ovation for her stirring rendition of "It Ain't Me, Babe" honoring Bob Dylan, and Celine Dion dedicated her Icon award to her late husband at Sunday night's emotion-packed Billboard Music Awards.

The three-hour live telecast from Las Vegas stuck to its tradition of a performance-heavy annual show featuring top recording stars in spectacular production numbers.

Britney Spears kicked things off, dazzling in a daring red outfit for a medley of her hits.

Canadian singer The Weeknd dedicated the first award to Prince, the Grammy-winning pop superstar best known for such hits as "Purple Rain" and "Let's Go Crazy," who died at his Minnesota home in April aged 57.

"I want to dedicate this award to the late great Prince," The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye), said in accepting the Top Hot 100 Artist award.

Madonna ended the show with a Prince tribute that included "Nothing Compares 2 U," before she was joined by Stevie Wonder for "Purple Rain" as the audience rose to its feet, arms gently swaying above their heads and singing along.

Earlier, Kesha delivered an emotional rendition of Dylan's classic in a much-anticipated performance that was nearly canceled by her label in a legal dispute.

Kemosabe Records relented, saying Kesha had assured them she would not use her time as a platform to address her failed legal bid against Sony Corp's Sony Music and producer Dr. Luke. Kemosabe, founded by Dr. Luke, is a unit of Sony Music. The singer stood by her word.

While several awards were handed out during the show, including to British singer Adele who won the big prize, top artist and accepted via a video segment, it was performances by the likes of Ariana Grande, Dion, and Rihanna that ruled.

Dion, making her first televised singing performance since the death of her husband, Rene Angelil, tearfully accepted the Icon Award for lifetime achievement, which in a surprise was presented by her son, Rene-Charles.

"I'm so sorry, I don't want to cry in front of you," Dion told the audience. She ended by holding her award aloft and declaring, "Rene, this one's for you, the show must go on," echoing the title of the Queen song she had just performed.

Other top prizes went to Rihanna in the fan-voted chart achievement award, Justin Bieber for top male artist, Adele for both top female artist and Billboard 200 album, and The Weeknd for R & B song "The Hills." (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb and Chris Michaud; Editing by Chris Reese, Robert Birsel and Paul Tait)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bob Dylan, 'wise' at 73, gives album free to seniors

NEW YORK, United States - Bob Dylan is giving away his latest album for free to select seniors as the 73-year-old rock legend says he is at peace with getting older.

Dylan's 36th studio album, "Shadows in the Night," which interprets songs by Frank Sinatra, will be mailed at random to 50,000 readers of AARP's magazine, which is sent to some 35 million Americans age 50 or older.

Speaking to the magazine in a rare interview, Dylan expected that members of the AARP -- which originally stood for the American Association of Retired Persons -- would enjoy the album and said he has learned that "passion is a young man's game."

"Older people gotta be more wise. I mean, you're around awhile, you leave certain things to the young. Don't try to act like you're young. You could really hurt yourself," said Dylan, who nonetheless maintains a rigorous touring schedule.

Dylan's move on "Shadows in the Night," which goes on sale on February 3, comes after U2 last year gave its album for free to the half billion users of iTunes.

Apple had hoped that the surprise gift would promote its latest iPhone, but instead received many complaints by users who did not want to hear from the Irish superstars.

Dylan, who was a major figure in the 1960s counterculture but has not directly affiliated himself with political movements, also called in the AARP interview for wealthy Americans to do more to create jobs.

"The government's not going to create jobs. It doesn't have to. People have to create jobs, and these big billionaires are the ones who can do it," he said.

"We see crime and inner cities exploding with people who have nothing to do, turning to drink and drugs. They could all have work created for them by all these hotshot billionaires," said Dylan, who stressed: "I'm not talking about communism."

Dylan's commentary came even though he complained in the interview that people ask him too often about topics other than music.

"People have been doing that to me since the '60s -- they ask questions like they would ask a medical doctor or a psychiatrist or a professor or a politician. Why? Why are you asking me these things?"

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bob Dylan guitar sells for nearly $1M in New York

NEW YORK - An electric guitar on which Bob Dylan performed a legendary set at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 sold for a record $965,000 at an auction in New York on Friday, Christie's announced.

The price for the 1964 Fender Stratocaster smashed its pre-sale estimate of $300,000-$500,000 and made it the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction, Christie's said.

The identity of the private buyer was not revealed.

The auction house also put under the hammer five sets of lyrics dating back to 1965-66, but sold only one -- an early version of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" called "Midnight Suit" -- for $20,000.

The sale came just days after it was revealed that the legendary American singer has been charged in France for inciting hatred by comparing Croats to Nazis in remarks to Rolling Stone magazine.

Dylan, 72, was charged with the offense during a visit to Paris last month after the comments made last year sparked a complaint from the Council of Croats in France (CRICCF).

"If you got a slave master or Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that. That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood," Dylan was quoted as saying in an answer to a question about race relations in the United States.

Dylan was informed of the charges while in Paris for three concerts -- a visit during which the French government also awarded him its prestigious Legion d'honneur.

The charge against him carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of up to $61,600, although usually penalties are far smaller, sometimes only symbolic.

Dylan has not commented on the charges.

His three-song electric set at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island saw the then 24-year-old evolve from folk-protest singer into an enigmatic rock legend.

Rolling Stone described it as one of the most notable events in music history, but his folk fans were furious.

The guitar and lyrics are in the possession of a daughter of the pilot who flew the private jet used by Dylan and his band in the months after the performance.

Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941, Dylan was the voice of a generation and a giant in the history of American music.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com