His voice might not be to everyone's taste, but nobody can argue that Bob Dylan is one of the most influential singer-songwriters of all time. When he made the switch from the acoustic guitar to the electric guitar in the mid 1966s, folk music fans nearly started a riot at a concert. Dylan has been seen as a poet, a protest song writer, and almost a prophet by the people who idolize him. That's quite a list of achievements for a guy who was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and isn't even called Bob Dylan.
Dylan was actually born as Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941, but took on the stage name of 'Dylan' after being inspired and moved by the works of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. He grew up listening to blues and country radio stations, and progressed into writing folk music because he felt it sounded 'more authentic' than the rock and roll bands who were emerging at the time. As a performer, he's been on tour constantly since 1988 with very few breaks, and has spoken of wanting to continue for the rest of his life.