Dylanologist
During the 1980s, I boycotted radio stations and became a steadfast follower and listener of Bob Dylan. I searched out all of his vinyl LPs at every record collectors convention that came through our town. Later had a friend record those albums to cassette tapes for listening in my car. And, always adding the newest releases, keeping my collection fresh, I've purchased nearly all this music on CD. Today I mostly stream Dylan and all things Dylan (Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour and various Dylan Podcasts) on Spotify.
Something about his music gets to me. I know it seems odd but, I sometimes think that he is singing my life. When Dylan was starting out, I was a wee little baby. Later, in my teenage years, I heard some of his electric stuff on the radio; All Along the Watchtower, Like a Rolling Stone, etc . . . As I started exploring his catalog, I couldn't get enough of the songs and stories. His lyrics have so much hidden meaning and figurative language that his songs never grow old. I am always learning new things from studying his works. If you really listen to a Dylan song, you might find yourself talking a deep dive into any number of subjects. Civil Rights, Folk Heroes, Exotic Places, War, Kennedy's Assassination, Spirituality and, even Country Pie. Because of Dylan, I even discovered how much I love Hemingway . . . that is another story to tell.
Dylan's music is engrained in my brain and, I love to chat with other fans about their favorite songs. He inspired me to learn harmonica and I have seen him perform live, over twenty times, in various cities. I won't claim to know everything . . . yeah, I may be more of a Dylanite, rather than a Dylanologist. For me, Bob Dylan was a catalyst to deepen my desire for lifelong learning.