Imagine that your father is legend Bob Dylan, and like him, you have a passion for music. What do you do?

If you're Wallflowers songwriter and frontman Jakob Dylan (1969-), you politely label your genetics "peripheral stuff," then stay true to your muse and create the best music that you can.

Born on this day in New York, Jakob was seven when his parents divorced and like his famous father, he is an intensely private man. "People think I'm reserved, but I don't like to think out loud," explained young Dylan, with talent as dazzling as his cobalt eyes.

About those eyes, he said, "I think people may want to start noting that it's not the eyes, it's just that my hair's really dark. I wish they'd talk about my ears more, to tell you the truth."

Or talk about the singing, the songwriting, the commitment to music...

With four albums in 10 years, including the 1996 certified quadruple platinum Bringing Down The Horse, Jakob and the Wallflowers are a celebration of rock-n-roll in the spirit of the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty.

"You've got to have faith in what you're doing," Dylan said.

The band's latest cd, Red Letter Days is upbeat, finely crafted, and already a favorite with critics. "With these songs I wanted to believe there might be light in the darkness," Dylan explained.

"The beauty of the Wallflowers is that they function far beyond time," praised Billboard. "They don't bend or yield to trends. Rather, they strive to be a classic band, crafting timeless songs that will still be fresh and relevant long after the competition sounds dated and quaint."

Make heaven wherever you are.