Bob Dylan Stuns Fans by Performing Beloved Song for First Time in 15 Yearsoriginally appeared onParade. Bob Dylansurprised 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 onX(formerly known as Twitter) wrote "Middle school me is ecstatic, thank you Bob Dylan" during the performance. Another fan onXshared a snippet of Dylan's performance of the song. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 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 likeSmokey Robinson,Natalie Cole,Jennifer Hudson,Joan BaezandJohn Mellencamp— were invited to an event by thenPresident Barack Obamato honor the Civil Rights Movement. Rolling Stonereported 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 Yearsfirst appeared on Parade on Jun 26, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.