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

If you're a songwriter and former Wallflowers 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...

His albums with the Wallflowers included the 1996 certified quadruple platinum Bringing Down The Horse with the great song One Headlight. The group was 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," said Dylan who released his first solo album, Seeing Things, in 2008, full of acoustic gems.

"I do like a song that can look good on a page without even being sung. I edit and edit and edit."

Make heaven wherever you are.