Biography
Jakob Dylan, son of the groundbreaking and singular Bob Dylan—one of Western pop music’s most pivotal songwriters—encountered both advantages and considerable weight from his lineage, yet carried the expectations with notable composure. Born in 1969, he grew up in Los Angeles under the care of his mother, Sara Lowndes, following his parents’ divorce in 1977.
Private schooling in Los Angeles and New York preceded his entry into music during the late ’80s, when he assembled the Wallflowers with guitarist Tobi Miller, keyboard player Rami Jaffee, bassist Barrie Maguire, and drummer Peter Yanowitz. Their classic heartland sound aligned more closely with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers or John Mellencamp than with Bob Dylan’s style, prompting a Virgin Records contract and a self-titled debut album in 1992. Poor sales led the label to release the group.
Dylan rebuilt the Wallflowers around himself and Jaffee, adding guitarist Michael Ward, bassist Greg Richling, and drummer Mario Calire. The refreshed lineup secured a deal with Interscope Records and recorded with producer T Bone Burnett, a Dylan family friend. Bringing Down the Horse appeared in 1996 and spawned the alternative radio hit “6th Avenue Heartache.” A follow-up single, “One Headlight,” reached the Top Ten by spring 1997, confirming the band’s commercial viability.
Although coverage often highlighted Jakob’s connection to his father, the Wallflowers retained a distinct identity, with Jakob’s singing and songwriting only occasionally recalling Bob Dylan’s approach. The 1997 single “The Difference” kept the album selling strongly through the year. In 1998 “One Headlight” earned Grammys for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Rather than rush into a third album, Dylan and the Wallflowers chose an extended hiatus. They resurfaced in October 2000 with Breach, a well-crafted release that received scant mainstream radio support. Red Letter Days followed in 2001 with a more commercial orientation, and Rebel, Sweetheart arrived two years later to fulfill their Interscope commitment.
In 2006 Dylan signed a solo contract with Columbia Records, his father’s longtime home, and released the acoustic album Seeing Things in 2008. Recorded by Rick Rubin at the producer’s Hollywood Hills studio, the project left the Wallflowers’ future uncertain until the band reunited the next year to tour behind a greatest-hits collection. Dylan soon resumed solo work, issuing Women + Country in 2010.
Private schooling in Los Angeles and New York preceded his entry into music during the late ’80s, when he assembled the Wallflowers with guitarist Tobi Miller, keyboard player Rami Jaffee, bassist Barrie Maguire, and drummer Peter Yanowitz. Their classic heartland sound aligned more closely with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers or John Mellencamp than with Bob Dylan’s style, prompting a Virgin Records contract and a self-titled debut album in 1992. Poor sales led the label to release the group.
Dylan rebuilt the Wallflowers around himself and Jaffee, adding guitarist Michael Ward, bassist Greg Richling, and drummer Mario Calire. The refreshed lineup secured a deal with Interscope Records and recorded with producer T Bone Burnett, a Dylan family friend. Bringing Down the Horse appeared in 1996 and spawned the alternative radio hit “6th Avenue Heartache.” A follow-up single, “One Headlight,” reached the Top Ten by spring 1997, confirming the band’s commercial viability.
Although coverage often highlighted Jakob’s connection to his father, the Wallflowers retained a distinct identity, with Jakob’s singing and songwriting only occasionally recalling Bob Dylan’s approach. The 1997 single “The Difference” kept the album selling strongly through the year. In 1998 “One Headlight” earned Grammys for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Rather than rush into a third album, Dylan and the Wallflowers chose an extended hiatus. They resurfaced in October 2000 with Breach, a well-crafted release that received scant mainstream radio support. Red Letter Days followed in 2001 with a more commercial orientation, and Rebel, Sweetheart arrived two years later to fulfill their Interscope commitment.
In 2006 Dylan signed a solo contract with Columbia Records, his father’s longtime home, and released the acoustic album Seeing Things in 2008. Recorded by Rick Rubin at the producer’s Hollywood Hills studio, the project left the Wallflowers’ future uncertain until the band reunited the next year to tour behind a greatest-hits collection. Dylan soon resumed solo work, issuing Women + Country in 2010.
Albums
Singles
