18 Years Ago Today, Bob Dylan Was Honored for His “Profound Impact” on American Music and Culture

On this day (April 7) in 2008, Bob Dylan was awarded a Special Citation in Music from the Pulitzer Prize Board. The honor differs from the Pulitzer Prize in that Special Citations are awarded when the Board deems them necessary. This is usually because the recipient, while deserving, doesn’t fit the criteria for one of the other annual prizes.

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The Pulitzer Prize is awarded annually in a variety of categories. Journalists, authors, photographers, musicians, composers, and poets are among those who are eligible to win. As with most major awards, the Pulitzer Prize is awarded for something that was released or published in the previous year. As a result, Dylan wasn’t in the running for the annual prize in music because the Pulitzer Board didn’t focus on a single release. Instead, they honored him for his entire catalog and its impact on American music and culture.

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In the past, those who were awarded Special Citations for music were either composers or jazz musicians. George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane were among those who received the honor between 1944 and 2007. Dylan was the first rock musician to receive a Special Citation. He was awarded for “his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions with extraordinary poetic power,” per the Pulitzer website.

Bob Dylan Was Silent on His Pulitzer Win

Bob Dylan didn’t comment publicly on his Special Citation. His son, Jesse Dylan, accepted the honor in his place. However, according to a Los Angeles Times report, the legendary singer/songwriter was “in disbelief” after hearing the news.

Composer David Lang won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 2008. When speaking to the Times, he was incredibly excited to be mentioned alongside Dylan. “You know, I am not fit to touch the hem of his shoes,” he said. “Bob Dylan is the only artist who’s in heavy rotation in my household.”

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