He certainly was one of the great original geniuses of popular music of the 20th Century. With his gritty and growling voice and his fusion of blues, jazz and psychedelia he carved out sound that was uniquely his.
" His work, whether in music or drawing, was never mainstream and only ever gained a relatively small following, but he was a larger-than-life character who pushed the boundaries of his art in a way which influenced many who followed in his wake "
quoted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11811289
Other Links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12024652
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/captain-beefheart-dead-at-age-69-20101217
