Fame is easy to achieve with the right mix of money and marketing, but true timelessness is another story. Plenty of artists dominate the charts for a few years before fading into obscurity. Then there are legends—artists who redefine music and secure their place in history. Bob Dylan is one of those rare figures.
A fiercely independent songwriter, Dylan never followed trends. From his early folk days to his controversial shift to electric music in 1965, he faced both admiration and backlash. But no matter the criticism, he stayed true to his artistry, solidifying his legacy.
Dylan may have paved his own path, but he wasn’t without inspiration. He drew from pioneers like Woody Guthrie and Little Richard, but one musician stood out above the rest—Johnny Cash.
Cash started in gospel before making his mark on country and early rockabilly. With his deep voice, rebellious image, and masterful songwriting, he had a universal appeal. Dylan was captivated by Cash’s music, especially “I Walk the Line,” which he first heard in the mid-1950s.
Their admiration wasn’t one-sided. Early in Dylan’s career, folk purists criticized him, but Cash came to his defense in an open letter published in Sing Out! magazine. Dylan never forgot it. “The letter meant the world to me. I’ve kept the magazine to this day,” he later revealed.
That moment sparked a lasting friendship. United by their love of music and refusal to conform, the two icons eventually collaborated. Their most famous duet, “Girl from the North Country,” opened Dylan’s 1969 album Nashville Skyline. Their paths crossed less frequently over the years, but the respect between them never wavered.
When Cash passed away in 2003, Dylan paid tribute in Rolling Stone, calling him “the North Star; you could guide your ship by him — the greatest of the greats then and now.”
He went on to describe Cash as the embodiment of American music and culture. “Truly he is what the land and country is all about, the heart and soul of it personified and what it means to be here; and he said it all in plain English.”
For a songwriter often hailed as a timeless genius, Dylan reserved his highest praise for Cash. “We can have recollections of him, but we can’t define him any more than we can define a fountain of truth, light, and beauty,” he wrote.
“He rises high above all, and he’ll never die or be forgotten, even by persons not born yet — especially those persons — and that is forever.”
If anyone understands what it means to be truly timeless, it’s Bob Dylan. And if there’s one musician he believes will endure for eternity, it’s Johnny Cash.
