Bob Dylan Stuns Fans by Performing Beloved Song for First Time in 15 Years originally appeared on Parade.
Bob Dylan surprised fans when he performed his hit “The Times They Are a-Changin’” during his set at the Outlaw Music Festival on June 25.
During his set the folk-rock legend, 84, included the 1964 protest anthem and performed a stripped back version of the song, where he mainly relied on his piano and harmonica.
Fans were stunned by the surprise choice and took to social media to their reactions to his performance. One fan on X (formerly known as Twitter) wrote “Middle school me is ecstatic, thank you Bob Dylan” during the performance. Another fan on X shared a snippet of Dylan’s performance of the song.
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Dylan’s performance at the music festival in Franklin, Tennessee marked the first time he performed the song in 15 years. He last performed the famed track at an appearance at the White House back in 2010.
Dylan — along with other artists like Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Hudson, Joan Baez and John Mellencamp — were invited to an event by then President Barack Obama to honor the Civil Rights Movement.
Rolling Stone reported that President Obama and other attendees of the event did not know which song Dylan would perform until his set. A show organizer told the outlet that Dylan “mentioned the possibility of also doing ‘Chimes of Freedom’ or ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’” but did not reveal his song choice until his performance.
Related: Folk-Rock Legend Bob Dylan Announces Two ‘Deeply Evocative’ New Projects
Bob Dylan Stuns Fans by Performing Beloved Song for First Time in 15 Years first appeared on Parade on Jun 26, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
