A Complete Unknown

When Bob Dylan took the stage at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival, who knew he would become the icon of a movement.

The five-foot-seven, slender young man with the tousled hair was not a physically imposing figure—but his words and delivery were imposing enough.

At 22, this “complete unknown” walked to a microphone—and started a revolution.

To be sure, musical prophets were not new. Woody Guthrie—who inspired Dylan—won over the American people with songs of their plight: Guthrie’s songs about the desperate stories of people scrabbling day by day to survive during The Great Depression and the 1930s environmental disaster, the Dustbowl.

Even in the 1960s, Dylan was not the only voice raised against perceived inequities.

Prolific, prophetic, persuasive, yes he was. But not alone. In fact, one of the others—among her many other life-changing contributions—is credited with giving Dylan a place on the stage. Joan Baez, also 22 at the time, was already known—and respected—not just for that large, clear soprano voice, but also for her commentary.

Personally, I cannot rank one of them ahead of the other.
People listened to them both. Not everyone, of course. But heir talents and message and integrity struck a chord in America at just the right time.

Twenty-two. And people of all ages and situations listened to them. Vilified by some, admired by many. Whether you were a fan or a detractor, you knew the names. And you knew the message

All at twenty-two.

UNBRIDLED COURAGE–Kalyna Fedorowycz is a sixteen-year-old equestrian who has been helping to transport horses away from the Southern California wildfires. But when a horse recently was too scared to get aboard the transport trailer, she took a more hands-on approach and actually rode the animal out of the canyon herself. Once again, youth shows us the way.