The Byrds and Dylan teamed up for No. 1 hit 50 years ago
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Fifty years ago today, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds was the No. 1 song on the Billboard pop chart.
It was the first song written by Bob Dylan to make it to No. 1 — and it popularized the sound that eventually became known as folk-rock.
It was the Byrds' first single for Columbia Records, which had been concerned about the band members' musical aptitude. Because of that, Roger McGuinn's 12-string guitar is the only instrument on the recording played by a member of the Byrds. The rest of the backing track was provided by The Wrecking Crew.
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