Ramblin jack elliott biography

In Jack married and traveled to Europe, bringing his genuine American folk, cowboy, and blues repertoire, along with his guitar virtuosity, inspiring a new generation of budding British rockers, from Mick Jagger to Eric Clapton. When he returned to America inhe met another young folksinger, Bob Dylan, at Woody Guthrie's bedside and mentored Bob.

Jack has continued as an inspiration for every roots-inspired performer since. He has recorded forty albums, wrote one of the first trucking songs, Cup of Coffee-recorded by Johnny Cash-and championed the works of singer-songwriters Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Tim Hardin, and more. InPresident Bill Clinton awarded Jack the National Medal of the Arts, proclaiming, "In giving new life to our most valuable musical traditions, Ramblin' Jack has himself become an American treasure.

After his arrival inElliott soon became the ramblin jack elliott biography of England with a string of hits and toured throughout Europe with Adams, often performing the songs of Guthrie. While overseas, Elliott also recorded his first album on his own, Woody Guthrie's Blues, released by the Topic label in American Following Growing weary of the pressures of constant performing, Elliott returned to the United States in However, finding his music largely ignored in America, he returned to England in This time around, he toured alongside the Weavers, accompanied Pete Seeger, performed with bluesman Jesse Fuller, and toured Europe with author Herb Greer.

Meanwhile, the youth of America was beginning to warm up to folk music. Thus, inhe returned home again. Considered the best flat-picking folk guitarist around, Elliott, who balked at the commercialization of folk music, preferred to remain a pure folk artist. He felt that maintaining Guthrie's style was especially important as Guthrie was now suffering from Huntington's chorea, a hereditary disease which eventually leads to a loss of control over one's body.

While visiting the ailing folk musician in the hospital, Elliott met another Guthrie follower--Bob Dylan. Because Guthrie was too ill to take on Dylan as an apprentice, Elliott gladly accepted the role. Before long, just as Elliott had at one time been identified as "a poor man's Guthrie," Dylan, likewise, was dubbed "a poor man's Elliott.

And besides, I was flattered. Dylan learned from me the same way I learned from Woody. Woody didn't teach me. He just said, 'If you want to learn something, just steal it--that's the way I learned from Lead Belly. Other singers and songwriters who saw him live or owned his records also looked to Elliott for inspiration. Similarly, in America, groups like the Grateful Dead and the Band viewed Elliott as a significant influence.

Elliott's nickname comes not from his traveling habits but rather from the countless stories he relates before answering the simplest of questions. Folk singer Odetta claimed that her mother gave him the name, remarking, "Oh, Jack Elliott, yeah, he can sure ramble on! He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in His long career and strained relationship with his daughter Aiyana was chronicled in her film documentaryThe Ballad of Ramblin' Jack.

The album was produced by Ian Brennan. When asked why he did not, he told her, "These songs are not for the tourists. His tone of voice is sharp, focused and piercing. All that and he plays the guitar effortlessly in a fluid flat-picking perfected style.

Ramblin jack elliott biography

He was a brilliant entertainer Most folk musicians waited for you to come to them. Jack went out and grabbed you Jack was King of the Folksingers. He is the guy who ran away from his Brooklyn home at fourteen to join the rodeo and learned his guitar from a cowboy.