Dave Van Ronk, classic or dud

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Anyone else heard this early folk scare musician? Good stuff. "Cocaine Blues," "St. James Infirmary," "Dink's Song..." Great, loud, pre-Waitsian voice, fantastic fingerpicker and arranger.

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 26 August 2004 11:56 (twenty-one years ago)

i did sound at folk city for a while during 80 & 81 (at least, as much as any sound needed "doing" there) and worked a few dvr sets. the man was no dud - but clearly not for everyone's taste, he could take you on a pretty rough ride. that was well along in his career; he had that elder statesman status and could do whatever he wanted, which is what he did. every once in awhile he'd show up on hoot night (no, he did not have to wait in line for a turn. but he'd stick to the "2 songs or 8 minutes" rule even so. well... pretty much, anyway.)

as far as vocal timbre was concerned... he made waits sound like bing crosby.

― robert dennis, Friday, 27 August 2004 01:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm a fan.

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 27 August 2004 02:04 (twenty-one years ago)

ts dave van ronk vs eric von schmidt (both friends of dylan in his early days)

i saw him v. late in his life and his voice was completely gone.

but he did some neat mississippi john hurt-esque picking.

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Friday, 27 August 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Cocaine is for horses
Not for men
They say it'll kill me
But they won't say when
Cocaine...Ramblin' all around my brain.

Jackson Browne covered this tune.

I liked the guy. His early Hudson Dusters stuff is what I know the most of.

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 27 August 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

that tune is way older than DVR for what it's worth.

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Friday, 27 August 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Van Ronk learned it from Rev. Gary Davis...Browne did use DVR's arrangement, I believe.

― shookout (shookout), Friday, 27 August 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

I really like this guy

I heard the song "Hesitation Blues" today and it has been stuck in my head all day

I think Leadbelly & Rev Gary Davis did it first

CLASSIC

― lukevalentine, Friday, 11 December 2009 00:29 (sixteen years ago)

also I'm pretty sure Bobby D ripped off his "House of the Rising Sun" arrangement wholesale

which then became the Animals hit arrangement I think

but, all's well in love & folk

― lukevalentine, Friday, 11 December 2009 00:31 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

Just discovered some of this guy's records at the community station, including a Verve Forecast lp with a garage band that is a lot of fun.
Loving this guy.

― Trip Maker, Sunday, 23 October 2011 22:53 (fourteen years ago)

Van Ronk is all over the Ramblin' Jack Elliott documentary from 2005-ish.

― waylon flowers and muammar gaddafi (Eazy), Sunday, 23 October 2011 23:46 (fourteen years ago)

two years pass...

http://www.elijahwald.com/vanronkguide.html

completely essential read

― rap steve gadd (D-40), Saturday, 2 November 2013 20:38 (twelve years ago)

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