Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson was born in 1962 in Olympia (Washington), and is perhaps one of the most important and influential musicians of the American indie scene, in its most candid, lucid, non-macho guise. He set up K Records in 1982, organized the International Pop Underground Convention for years, and formed bands like The Go Team, Beat Happening (of which Kurt Cobain was a fan), The Halo Benders and Dub Narcotic Sound System.
Update: 3 April 2014