R.I.P. Suze Rotolo

To most, Suze Rotolo is the girl on the cover of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album (Dylan's second, released in 1963). But Rotolo, who died yesterday from lung cancer, was Dylan's girlfriend from 1961-64. She had a profound impact on him, and is thought to be the inspiration behind many of Dylan's early, best songs. Her activism in the Civil Rights movement certainly affected Dylan. She was witness to almost the entire "folk period" of Dylan's long career, and wrote a book, A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties, detailing her time with Dylan and the early 60s folk music scene.

Rotolo went on to become a visual artist and teacher. She was 67 years old.