Description Dave Van Ronk (1936-2002) was one of the founding figures of the 1960s folk revival, but he was far more than that. A pioneer of modern acoustic blues, a fine songwriter and arranger, a powerful singer, and one of the most influential guitarists of the 1960s, he was also a marvelous storyteller, a peerless musical historian, and one of the most quotable figures on the Greenwich Village scene. Holding court in legendary venues like Gerde's Folk City and the Gaslight Cafe, Van Ronk's influence was so great that a stretch of Sheridan Square-the heart of the Village-was renamed on June 30, 2004, and is now Dave Van Ronk Street. The Mayor of MacDougal Street is a unique first-hand account by a major player in the social and musical history of the '50s and '60s. It features encounters with young stars-to-be like Bob Dylan (who survived much of his first year in New York sleeping on Van Ronk's couch), Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell, as well as older luminaries like Reverend Gary Davis, Woody Guthrie, Mississippi John Hurt, and Odetta. Colorful, hilarious, engaging, and a vivid evocation of a fascinating time and place, The Mayor of MacDougal Street will appeal not only to folk and blues fans but to anyone interested in the music, politics, and spirit of a revolutionary period in American culture.
Dave Van Ronk was one of the founding figures of the 1960s folk revival, but he was far more than that. Among other things, he was a marvelous storyteller, one of the funniest and most quotable figures on the Village Scene, holding court in cafes, bars, and from his apartment on Sheridan Square. Elijah Wald is a Boston-based journalist and musician who served as a writer and consultant on The Mississippi: River of Song for PBS, he is the author of the acclaimed study of the myth, music, and life of blues legend Robert Johnson, Escaping the Delta (Amistad), a biography of blues legend Josh White (U. Mass Press), and of Narcocorrido (Rayo). He became a Grammy award winner in 2002 for his liner notes to the Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Box.
"For an insider's guide to the folk movement, one can hardly do better than Van Ronk's book. Highly recommended." "Funny, insightful and honest...Van Ronk knows how to tell a story." "A richly evocative paean to a lost era." "Charming, evocative autobiography...A must for those with an interest in the music...for anyone who enjoys a roistering life-story." "As a narrator, [Van Ronk] reveals himself to be a mostly endearing and gregarious grouch...[A] genial and picaresque ramble." "[A] wonderful memoir...Mandatory reading for anybody interested in...the "Great Folk Scare" of the 1960s." "[The Mayor of McDougal Street] will, at some point, make you want to pull out a Van Ronk record...a gem." "[Van Ronk] reveals himself to be an acute observer of politics, an erudite musical historian, and a tough critic." "[Van Ronk's] self-deprecating style serves him well...an evocative portrait of a musical movement's coming of age." "Refreshingly honest...augmented by rich dollops of wisdom." "Van Ronk is an erudite wiseacre, and he paints an equally amused and informed portrait." "Brims over with details about the legendary Greenwich Village folk revival...the pages ring with Van Ronk's distinctive voice." "A funny, insightful and honest recounting of Van Ronk's early days cutting his musical teeth...Van Ronk knows how to tell a story." "A fascinating look at a pivotal moment in American popular music...A great read." |
