Van Ronk was a walking museum of the blues. Through an early interest in jazz, he had gravitated toward black music -- its jazz pole, its jug-band and ragtime center, its blues bedrock... his manner was rough and testy, disguising a warm, sensitive core.
Robert Shelton, No Direction Home

 
Dave Van Ronk is a name that nearly all folk music fans have known and cherished for over four decades. A recipient of an ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award, he brings his 1960s roots and sensibility into contemporary settings by playing numerous dates at coffeehouses, festivals and concert halls.
      From the time he was encouraged to perform by Odetta in the 50s, Van Ronk's bluesy voice and unique interpretations of standards have been a hit with audiences around the world. Deemed "folk music's mayor of Greenwich Village," Van Ronk was a major figure in the folk renaissance of the 60s and an influence on many artists, including Bob Dylan. There's a lot of history behind his growling voice and outstanding finger picking, and much entertainment to be had.