It was 50 years ago today, Bob taught the world how to play

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the release of Bob Dylan’s first album for Columbia. For all the success, for all the honors Dylan has received during the last half-century, it is interesting to note the first album never once cracked Billboard’s Top 200 selling album chart during the year in which it was released.

Although Dylan became known for the songs he wrote (there are 375 covers of Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind alone), it is also interesting to note the first album contained only two original compositions, a tribute to Woody Guthrie and Talkin’ New York. However, at the same time, it is also important to remember that at the time of this album’s release, the so-called "folk music revival" that was rolling emphasized interpretation over composition. The major artists of the revival included non-composers Joan Baez and Peter, Paul & Mary.

One of the myths surrounding this album is Dylan’s version of House of the Rising Sun inspired the Animals to record the song. Actually, that inspiration came from Josh White’s recording.

In the last 50 years, no single artist has had a bigger influence on popular Music than Bob Dylan. He was the reason the Beatles’ lyrics became more sophisticated. His launched the singer-composer movement and the genre known as progressive country. Even his Subterranean Homesick Blues is credited by many as being the first rap song.

And it all began 50 years ago today.

Someone whose name really isn't Allen Christy singing "Little Circus Clown"

If the voice sounds familiar to Texas music fans, it may be because Allen Christy is in reality the great Dee (Slow Moving Outlaw) Moeller, who celebrated a birthday this weekend, but I'm too much of a gentleman to tell you what birthday it was.

Carole King, James Taylor reunite for tour

I'm thinking it was around 1970 when I first saw James Taylor live at the Music Hall in Fair Park. He had two opening acts on the bill with him. The first was a band called Jo Mama. He did something that was unprecedented back then and is still rare today. Following a brief intermission, he took the stage himself to introduce his second opening act.

"Here's a woman you've never heard of," he told the audience, "but you have heard the songs she has written: Will You Love Me Tomorrow, (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman and Loco-Motion, among others. Please welcome Carole King."

This, of course, was a number of months before the release of Ms. King's monumental Tapestry album.

Following Ms. King's 40-minute set and another brief intermission, Taylor came on stage, sat on a stool with his acoustic guitar and sang three of his more familiar tunes. Then a piano was wheeled on stage and Ms. King joined him for a couple of tunes. Then, one by one, the members of Jo Mama joined the ensemble so by the set's sixth or seventh number Taylor was playing with a full band behind him.

As you can tell, it was one of my more memorable concert experiences.

That was why I was excited today to learn that Taylor and Ms. King are reuniting for another tour. Then I saw the tour's itinerary and the closest they will come to Dallas is a May 21 show in Kansas City's Sprint Center.

Oh, well, it probably wouldn't live up to the memories I have of the first one, if. for no other reason, than the sense of discovery would be missing.