Dave Van Ronk

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<B>Dave Van Ronk</B> (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. <I>The Mayor of MacDougal Street</I> is a firsthand 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. <br><br><B>Elijah Wald</B> wrote the acclaimed study of blues legend Robert Johnson, Escaping the Delta. He also wrote the biography <I>Josh White: Society Blues</I> and <I>Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas</I>. He lives in Los Angeles.