BACKGROUND
Bob was born in rural Louisiana, where he grew up on the blues and country music styles that eventually gave birth to rock ‘n’ roll. His family moved to Southern California in the mid-1950s. After graduating from California State University, Northridge in 1961, Bob worked briefly at the Valley Times TODAY, a daily newspaper in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Then he spent a few years as a public information officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In 1966 Bob realized he missed writing and that pop music was becoming such an exciting art form, thanks chiefly to Bob Dylan and the Beatles, that he wanted to get back into journalism. After freelancing for the Los Angeles Times for four years, Hilburn was hired as a full-time critic by the paper in the summer of 1970.
While at the Times, Bob was the only music writer to accompany Johnny Cash for his landmark Folsom Prison concert. Hilburn also went along with Elton John when he became the first Western rock figure to play in the Soviet Union, with Paul Simon on the “Graceland” tour stop in Zimbabwe, with Bob Dylan for his first concerts in Israel and with Michael Jackson on much of Jacksons' Victory tour. Bob also spent a week on the road with the Sex Pistols during their first and only U.S. tour.
During his years at the Times, he was an early defender of rap when it was under attack by law enforcement agencies and members of Congress. Hilburn has long been a member of the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for more than 20 years. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kathi. He has two children, Kathy Morris and Rob Hilburn, and four grandchildren, Chris and Lindsey Morris and Genny and Grant Hilburn. Bob left the Times in 2006 to write books.
While at the Times, Bob was the only music writer to accompany Johnny Cash for his landmark Folsom Prison concert. Hilburn also went along with Elton John when he became the first Western rock figure to play in the Soviet Union, with Paul Simon on the “Graceland” tour stop in Zimbabwe, with Bob Dylan for his first concerts in Israel and with Michael Jackson on much of Jacksons' Victory tour. Bob also spent a week on the road with the Sex Pistols during their first and only U.S. tour.
During his years at the Times, he was an early defender of rap when it was under attack by law enforcement agencies and members of Congress. Hilburn has long been a member of the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for more than 20 years. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kathi. He has two children, Kathy Morris and Rob Hilburn, and four grandchildren, Chris and Lindsey Morris and Genny and Grant Hilburn. Bob left the Times in 2006 to write books.
