Greenwich Village locals were thrilled to hear that Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”
“We consider Bob Dylan a native son. So much of his creativity was shared with the world from, and influenced by, Greenwich Village,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.
To Berman, the prize “is a further affirmation of the global significance of Greenwich Village, and speaks to the importance of preserving” a community fabled for its brownstones, bohemians, beatniks, artists and progressive political movements.
Among those cheering Dylan’s Nobel Prize were the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802, of which Dylan is a member. Dylan is a major supporter of the local’s Musician’s Emergency Relief Fund, Local 802 president Tino Gagliardi said in a statement.
Dylan “made an indelible mark on global culture, exemplifying the role that musicians, writers and artists can have in raising awareness and transforming the way we see the world,” said Gagliardi.
The trailblazing bard’s innovative style and poetic expression “is matched only by his deep generosity and commitment to supporting working musicians and the music community,” Gagliardi said.
