Bob Dylan is one of the most influential figures in music history. As a hall of fame artist, he shaped folk and rock music with timeless songs that still inspire musicians today. From headlining a music festival to winning major awards, Dylan’s career has spanned decades.
But beyond his success in the music industry, he has another important role—being a father.
This article explores the lives of Bob Dylan’s sons, each forging their own path. From leading a rock band to making a mark at a film festival, his sons have built their own legacies.
Let’s take a closer look at their journeys.
Bob Dylan’s Early Life
Bob Dylan, born as Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, spent his early years in Hibbing after his family moved there due to his father’s illness.
His paternal grandparents, Anna Kirghiz and Zigman Zimmerman, emigrated from Odessa in the Russian Empire (now Odesa, Ukraine) to the United States, following the 1905 pogroms against Jews. His maternal grandparents, Florence and Ben Stone, were Lithuanian Jews who had arrived in the United States in 1902.
Dylan’s father, Abram Zimmerman, and mother, Beatrice “Beatty” Stone, were part of a close-knit Jewish community. In Hibbing, his father and paternal uncles ran a furniture and appliance store.
As a teenager, Dylan taught himself piano and guitar, playing in several bands. He was influenced by American folk music and blues, especially the songs of Woody Guthrie.
In 1961, he moved to New York City to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, immersing himself in the Greenwich Village folk music scene.
The Dylan Family Structure
Bob Dylan has six children from two marriages. His first wife, model Shirley Marlin Noznisky aka Sara Lownds, had a daughter named Maria (now known as Maria Dylan Himmelman) from a previous marriage who was born on October 21, 1961. Bob adopted Maria after marrying Sara on November 22, 1965.
Together, they had four more children:
- Jesse Byron Dylan, born on January 6, 1966.
- Anna Lea Dylan, born on July 11, 1967.
- Samuel Isaac Abram Dylan, born on July 30, 1968.
- Jakob Luke Dylan, born on December 9, 1969.
Bob and Sara divorced on June 29, 1977. In 1986, Bob married his backup singer, Carolyn Dennis. They had a daughter, Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan, born on January 31, 1986. Though Bob and Carolyn divorced in October 1992, the marriage and Desiree’s birth were kept private until 2001.
Despite his fame, Dylan has been described as a supportive and loving father. His children have shared that he was present in their lives, attending events like Little League games and valuing family time. This close-knit family structure has been a significant aspect of Dylan’s personal life.
In-Depth Profiles of Bob Dylan’s Sons
Dylan’s sons have each carved their own paths, from filmmaking to a successful rock band and a growing solo career—here’s a closer look at their lives and achievements.
Jesse Byron Dylan
Jesse Dylan, born on January 6, 1966, is Bob Dylan’s eldest son. Unlike his father and brother, Jesse pursued a career in film and advertising rather than music.
Valid from 5/15 through 5/21. Use code: VOICE20
Jesse’s Career Overview in Film and Music
Jesse started by directing music videos for famous artists like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and Lenny Kravitz. His work also includes commercials for brands like Nike, Motorola, and Snickers.
Jesse gained wider recognition for directing the Emmy Award-winning music video for will.i.am’s “Yes We Can” and The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”, which won the 2012 MVPA Best Alternative Video Award.
In addition to music videos, Jesse has directed popular comedy films, including “How High” (2001), “American Wedding” (2003), and “Kicking & Screaming” (2005) starring Will Ferrell.
His documentary work includes “Crips and Bloods: Made in America”, which explores gang culture, and “Soros” (2020), about billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
Jesse is also the founder and CEO of Wondros, a creative agency focusing on social issues, and co-founded the NFT platform Snowcrash with Sony Music and UMG.
Personal Insight
Despite growing up in a famous household, Jesse described his childhood as “normal”, saying his father’s fame “never came home with him.” He joined Bob on tour at age nine, recalling that his dad seemed “kinda fun” during the Rolling Thunder Revue.
Jesse has called his father “great, totally kind, and wonderful,” always supporting him and his siblings. Today, Jesse keeps his personal life private, but his son, Pablo Dylan, has followed the family’s musical path.
Samuel Isaac Abram Dylan
Samuel Isaac Abram Dylan, known as Sam Dylan, is Bob Dylan’s younger son from his first marriage to Sara Lownds. Unlike some of his siblings, Sam has mostly stayed out of the public eye. Growing up, he had a private and quiet childhood, away from the spotlight of his father’s legendary career.
He attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts, where he met his future wife, Stacy Hochheiser, around 1988. The couple later had two children, Jonah and Lowell.
While he hasn’t pursued a high-profile career in music or film like his brothers Jesse and Jakob, Sam has been involved in creative projects. Some reports suggest he has worked as a photographer, but details about his work remain limited.
His wife, Stacy, founded Connecting to Cure Crohn’s and Colitis, a nonprofit inspired by their younger son, Lowell, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a child. Sam’s brother, Jakob Dylan, has supported the cause by performing at fundraising events.
Bob Dylan’s influence on Sam is unclear, as he has rarely spoken about his father in public. However, coming from a family deeply connected to music, he likely grew up surrounded by creativity.
Unlike his famous dad and two brothers, Sam has stayed away from media attention and kept his personal and professional life low-key.
Jakob Luke Dylan
Jakob Luke Dylan, Bob Dylan’s youngest son, was born in New York City. When he was three, his family moved to Los Angeles where he grew up with his siblings. So he was far from the folk music scene that made his father famous.
Music was always around him but he developed his own taste. He was drawn to punk rock and influenced by bands like The Clash, The Jam, and the Buzzcocks. These groups motivated him to start playing music.
He attended Windward School in Los Angeles, where he started playing guitar in different bands and began writing his own songs. After graduating, Jakob briefly attended Parsons School of Design in New York but left to focus on his passion for music.
Career Milestones
In 1989, Jakob formed a rock band with his childhood friend, Tobi Miller. The band was initially named The Apples, but they later changed it to The Wallflowers. Over the years, they released several albums, with Jakob playing a vital role as the lead singer and main songwriter.
Their 1996 album Bringing Down the Horse became a huge success, featuring hits like ‘One Headlight’ and ‘6th Avenue Heartache.’ ‘One Headlight’ was especially popular, winning two Grammy Awards and being ranked #58 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time.
Jakob also pursued a solo career, releasing albums such as “Seeing Things” in 2008 and “Women + Country” in 2010. Critics have praised his songwriting, though he has said he doesn’t try to be like Bob Dylan.
After a solo career, he reunited with the Wallflowers to release Exit Wounds in 2021, their first album in nearly a decade. Jakob considers The Wallflowers to be his thing and that he will always be the center of it.
Personal Reflections
Jakob has often been asked about his relationship with his famous father.
He once said, “To us, there was Bob Dylan, and there was dad. As for what he meant to other people, that was never glorified in our house. There were no accolades there, no gold records.”
This shows that, despite his father’s fame, Jakob saw him just as his dad.
He also mentioned, “If people want to talk about Bob Dylan, I can talk about that. But my dad belongs to me and four other people exclusively. I’m very protective of that.”
These quotes highlight Jakob’s desire to keep his family life private and separate from the public’s view of his father. In 2024, he told The Boston Globe that he was confused by his father’s Twitter activity. When asked if he would perform with Bob Dylan, he simply said, “I’m available.”
Navigating Fame and Identity
Being Dylan’s son comes with both opportunities and challenges.
For Jakob Dylan, fame was a double-edged sword. As the frontman of The Wallflowers, he built a successful music career, but he often faced comparisons to his father.
Jakob has said that while he respects Bob Dylan’s work, he wanted to be recognized for his own music. He worked hard to create his own style, proving he was more than just “Bob Dylan’s son.”
Jesse Dylan, on the other hand, took a different path. Instead of music, he focused on filmmaking and advertising. He directed movies and commercials, working with major brands and musicians.
Jesse has described his father as supportive but said Bob Dylan’s fame didn’t affect their home life much. He built his career on his own interests, not his father’s legacy.
Both brothers have had to balance their family names with their personal identities. While people expect them to follow in Bob Dylan’s footsteps, they have made their own choices. They have shown that being part of a famous family doesn’t mean losing yourself.
The Private Family Behind a Public Legend
In closing, while Bob Dylan’s iconic songs and career are known worldwide, his personal family sphere remains relatively private. The close relationship between Bob Dylan and his children reveals a devoted family man behind the eccentric genius.
All of Bob Dylan’s sons have forged their own creative paths under the weight of their father’s fame. And all the Dylan kids have maintained their privacy and individuality.
Bob Dylan’s legacy lives on through his timeless music and the lasting cultural impact of his art. But his most enduring legacy may be the family he raised and the care he showed as a father.
That’s something truly special about an already extraordinary human being. Even legends have room for love.
Recommended To Read:
Team Guitar Top Review Talk about Guitars! We are a group of friends that bonded over their shared love of playing guitar. We all have different backgrounds and experiences with music, but we share a passion for writing about the things that we love.