Bob Dylan in History of Rock & Roll
Bob Dylan (1941–) is an American folk singer, songwriter, poet, and social activist who's been a vital influence on many of rock and roll's biggest stars, including Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Patti Smith, and Green Day.
On his third album, Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix recorded a wailing, powerful version of "All Along the Watchtower," a song written and first recorded by folk singer Bob Dylan. Hendrix's version of the song, with its many electric guitar solos and wailing vocals, was vastly different from Dylan's quiet, harmonica-infused track. Dylan eventually changed the way he performed his own song to better reflect Hendrix's style—perhaps the greatest compliment ever paid to a young man who adored the folk singer's work.
Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature—yep, literature—in 2016.