Dave Van Ronk
By: Greg Johnson
Article Reprint from the March, 2002 BluesNotes
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Dave Van RonkBy: Greg Johnson Article Reprint from the March, 2002 BluesNotes |
In the early years of the 1960s, a handful of white musicians in places such as Cambridge, Massachusetts and Greenwich Village in New York City, spurred an interest in the traditional sounds of African American Folk and Blues music. That interest developed to the point where many of their listeners were intrigued enough to seek out the original artists, bringing many of the aged performers out of obscurity to perform before audiences hardly ever imagined in their earlier careers. This period of American music history has commonly been called the age of "Rediscovery." Perhaps one of the most recognized and durable of these white artists to display this form was Brooklyn-born Dave Van Ronk.
Born on June 30, 1936, Van Ronk had dropped out of high school at the age of 15. He had already performed as part of a barbershop quartet, but his life had truly been altered once he heard a recording of the old-time standard, "Stackolee", sung by Memphis Bluesman, Furry Lewis. Van Ronk was intrigued by this sound and began collecting various recordings of African-American music with a passion. After serving a short stint with the Merchant Marines, Van Ronk started performing professionally in the coffee houses and cafes in New York's Greenwich Village in 1956.
He had a vast repertoire by this time and his shows became the role model for many future musicians, including Odena, Christine Lavin, Tom Paxton, and especially a young songwriter who had recently arrived from Minnesota going by the name of Bob Dylan.
Over 40 years, Dave Van Ronk released 20 albums under his name, which featured covers of songs by artists mostly unknown to white listeners in the dawn of his career, people like, Bukka White, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Lemon Jefferson. He also continued to perform steadily during this time, making appearances around the world and featured as a headliner at many festivals. His last performance took place on October 22, 2001 in Adelphi, Maryland.
Van Ronk had been diagnosed with colon cancer shortly before this final appearance. He underwent surgery to ease his suffering on November 5th of that same year, but the cancer was too advanced and treatments continued, while his profession was placed on hiatus. Dave Van Ronk died on February 10, 2002, at the age of 65 in the New York University Medical Center in Manhattan, from complications arising from his illness.
Known by his peers as the unofficial "Mayor of Greenwich Village," Van Ronk had influenced a generation of musical artists. He was recognized with a Grammy nomination in 1996 for his album "From.. . Another Time & Place." He was also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). His passing closes an important chapter in the awakening of American musical appreciation and the crossing of boundaries set by previous segregation.
© 2002 Cascade Blues Association