Prestige Records
1967
Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger
About This Album
Many die-hard folkys consider Dave Van Ronk in a class apart from his contemporaries -- such as Bob Dylan, Eric Von Schmidt, or Jean Ritchie. Likewise, when asked to pick their favorite of his recordings, Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger is likely among the first mentioned. The original LP features a baker's dozen of Van Ronk's most memorable performances, presented in the intimate context of his own solo guitar accompaniment. This unadorned musical approach seemingly raised the bar for many Washington Square folk devotees. His deceptively simplistic delivery acts as both a gateway to, as well as an archetypal interpreter of, a roots-based folk music that is steeped in the American experience. Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger is the first in a series of sides that Van Ronk would cut for Prestige and features a selection of traditional material, most of which hadn't been included on his earlier Folkways albums. What is most immediately striking about Van Ronk's approach is the overwhelming solitude inherent within his delivery. The unadorned humanity is expressed practically by default. Examples can be found throughout the disc, be it in the soul-rendering visage of a junkie in "Cocaine Blues" or the lamentations of "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me.
Track List

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