The Mayor of Macdougal Street: A Memoir - Hardcover

Dave Van Ronk

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0306814072 ISBN 13: 9780306814075

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2005

Synopsis

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 Caf8E, 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.

About this title

About the Author:

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 '60s, he was also a marvelous storyteller, a peerless musical historian, and one of the most quotable figures on the Village scene. The Mayor of MacDougal Street is a 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, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, and Joni Mitchell, as well as older luminaries like Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, and Odetta. Elijah Wald wrote the acclaimed study of blues legend Robert Johnson, Escaping the Delta . He also wrote the biography Josh White: Society Blues and Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas . He lives in Los Angeles.

Review:

"A definitive history of folk's alternate universe...bringing to light the unique voice and story of Dave Van Ronk." -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel6/12/05

"A highly entertaining piece of history and storytelling." -- Living Blues September/October 2005

"A richly evocative paean to a lost era." -- Booklist 5/11/05

"As a narrator [Van Ronk] proves to be a mostly endearing and gregarious grouch...[A] genial and picaresque ramble." -- New York Times Book Review 7/3/05

"For an insider's guide to the folk movement, one can hardly do better than Van Ronk's book. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal 5/15/05

"Refreshingly honest...augmented by rich dollops of wisdom." -- Uncut June, 2005

"This is the best book I've ever read about the folk revivalEngaging and frequently hilarious." -- Sing Out!, Fall, 2005

"Van Ronk is an erudite wiseacre, and he paints an equally amused (and informed) portrait." -- Relix June 2005

"[It] will, at some point, make you want to pull out a Van Ronk record...A gem." -- New York Daily News 5/11/05

"[Van Ronk] reveals himself to be an acute observer of politics, an erudite musical historian, and a tough critic." -- Boston Phoenix 4/15/05

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0306814072
• ISBN 13: 9780306814075
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 246