Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Subject: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: kendall
Date: 09 May 00 - 07:58 AM

For all you Ramblin' Jack fans, I had dinner with Jack last night, then we hung out and jammed all evening. He didn't know about the Mudcat, so, I told him.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Allan C.
Date: 09 May 00 - 08:08 AM

He will be the featured artist at the Florida Folk Festival which, I am sad to say, Bill and David C. and I will probably miss by a few hours. See more about the festival here.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 May 00 - 08:54 AM

Does someone like Ramblin' Jack own a computer? (sort of goes against the persona, I would have thought....
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:05 AM

"Ramblin' Jack Elliott" says the threads headline - "Oh no, he's dead" I think. Then I finf he's living and well...

It's a nice surprise - but it's save a few sad momenrts if we headed these threads "So and So is OK" or something like that.

I remember when Jack was a regular at Ewan McColl's Ballads & Blues Club in Soho, London around 1960 or a bit before. You'd never think that combination would work, but it did.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:13 AM

Peter T's post conjures up a lovely image of Ramblin'Jack riding the rods with his satellite phone and his laptop along with his guitar!
I often replay his recordings with Cisco Houston of Woody Guthrie songs .
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Easy Rider
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:20 AM

Is that all, Kendall? What a tease! Tell us more about what you two said and did.

I saw Jack, in NY, last year, and enjoyed the show very much.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 09 May 00 - 12:53 PM

We met at the home of a mutual friend who runs a B&B in Portland. There was a guest from Japan there, and Jack had done a tour of Japan, so, he had a few stories to tell. We ate at a Japanese restaurant and swapped stories all around. When he said he was looking for a gudgeon for his dinghy,, we all got a good laugh because we knew how odd that must sound to the next table. No, he does not mess with computers, but, his wife to be does. He was suffering from a back problem and had to visit a chiropractor, and and, I dont know!! we just let fly with the BS. Is Easy Rider a woman?

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Easy Rider
Date: 09 May 00 - 01:56 PM

"Gypsy woman told my mother, before I was born.
Got a boy child coming, gonna be a son of a gun.
Gonna make all the women want to jump and shout.
World's gonna know what he's all about.

I'm a MAN. Yes indeed I am."

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 00 - 02:07 PM

This thread makes me think that within my life I've lived several. Different experiences, different jobs, different people. I would never trade it, but I also wish I could live 100 more lives.....different jobs, experiences, people, and even different times too. No matter how happy I am and how satisfied I am with my life, I will always feel gypped out of something else. Probably doesn't make sense does it?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Giac
Date: 09 May 00 - 05:48 PM

Thanks, Kendall. It's good to hear something positive
about an artist whose records I have worn out over
the years.

'spaw: forgawdsake, I was just thinkin' you were
makin' more sense than usual. **BG** Or maybe it's
because I was meditating along those lines a few
days ago. There's never enough time to do it all...

giac

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: DADGBE
Date: 09 May 00 - 06:01 PM

Last time I ran into Jack, he was in his yard fixing a dinghy. Wonder if it's the same one he needs a gudgeon for? Yup, he's alive and well and kickin' and as fine a musician as he ever was.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 00 - 06:47 PM

The reason I thought you were a woman is because that is the kind of question I used to get from my wife. Only she needed a verbatim report. Drove me nuts!!

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: GUEST,CBJames
Date: 09 May 00 - 07:22 PM

It's wonderful to know Jack's alive & well - but this thread's gettin' abit foolish so ....

"Good night, little dogies, good night -- Good night, little dogies, good night -- Sleep, sleep, sleepy, Sleep tight, sleep tight Good night, little dogies, good night."

I always sang that to My kids (till they got too old).

Their other favourite Ramblin' Jack song wus "Along about Eighteen twenty five"

I daresay he might want to be remember for other songs, but those were the ones that got passed along.

Jack, if you ever do get a computer hooked up to read this, THANKS! The Young Brigham album is all I know you by but between my own sibs and my children, it's given songs to the family. And more than just those two occasiolnally pop up and get sung - mostly when I chop fire wood.

Happy Sails!

James

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Willie-O
Date: 09 May 00 - 07:33 PM

If he needs a gudgeon I got one out back in the shed--or does it have to fit a particular pintle?

Graffiti spotted, at least 25 years ago, in the washroom at Le Hibou Coffee House in Ottawa:

"Ramblin' Jack could be 105 for all I know!"

Don't worry McGrath, he'll outlive us all...

Willie-O

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: BanjoRay
Date: 09 May 00 - 07:47 PM

The fine old late North East England traditional singer Jack Elliott of Birtley used to introduce himself as Stumblin' Jack Elliott.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 10 May 00 - 06:39 AM

Kendall,

Thanks for the thread. Next time any of you good folk, who know him, get to see Ramblin' Jack, get him to sing "Muleskinner Blues" for his "furthest fan" (who never saw him). I've got it on one of my LPs, but the version I remember most, I only heard a few times - either a tape someone had from a Folk Festival, or a clear red-plastic, 10" Stinson LP, with RJ, Cisco, Guthrie, Leadbelly, Seeger (Pete), Lomax etc. Sounded like it was recorded live at a party - got wilder and wilder. Anyway, Ramblin' Jack's last yodel went on for-eeeevvvvvveeeeeerrrrrrrrrr. Finally - applause - couple more bars - then "I was j'st waitin' on ya". Best bit of TIC I ever did hear. I'll swear he didn't take a breath either.

What a man Ramblin' Jack must be to know personally!

Mind you, I learnt a few runs from him (2nd hand) - from Malcolm Price, who larned 'em off-of Jack, in the London days McGrath was talking of.

[Sidetrack] McGrath - you'd know Malcolm (& Redd Sullivan)? They were both "Resident Artist" at the "Poles Apart Folk Club" in Auckland (NZ) in 1967. If you run into them, say "G'day from Sam". The "Poles" was run by Curly & Stacey del Monte, whom you probably also "wot of" McG? Last seen in Auckland, best part of a decade back. I've just checked the NZ "White Pages". They aren't there - trust they are back in your neck of the woods...:(

Spaw - youse and me is always Ramblin' - I'll do some pickin' with ya "next time round" cobber - doubt we'll make it this innings

ANYONE - if you have the Stinson LP I rambled about above, please let me know. I'm sure I can flog a couple or three Yankee Dollars off a passing tourist to send, so you can mail me a cassette of it. Only heard it a few times 35 years back. It was magic!

Kendall, Dadgbe - give us more about the real guy - please!

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: kendall
Date: 10 May 00 - 07:23 AM

I must confess, I really dont know him well on a personal level. I've known about him for years, met him at a party 15 years ago, and that was it until the other night when my friend Eva Horton called to say Jack was staying at her B&B, and, that he wanted to meet me. Sorry, I cant give you much more than that.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: DADGBE
Date: 10 May 00 - 11:39 AM

Can't say as I know the man, hardly. Like for the rest of the folks in this string, he looms somewhat larger than life to me too. Some recollections...

I was doing sound for Jack at a club (since defunct) in Sebastopol, California. I managed to hit him and the audience with a blast of feedback...embarrassing to say the least. Without hesitation, as soon as the noise stopped, he launched into a wonderful story about Herbert, his pet mouse who lives in the speaker and causes feedback. That man's a pure professional and I've never seen him lose audience control under any circumstances.

Another time I was driving the scenic 2-lane boonies along the coast and saw a car for sale by the side of the road. It was old and ratty and looked like something I might be able to afford so I knocked on the door and there was Jack. The dinghy was in the back yard and he was busy working on it. He was busy and wasn't sure he had time to spend so he put on a tape and asked me who was singing. When I was able to identify Woody Guthrie's singing, he relaxed and we had a delightful chat.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 May 00 - 02:56 PM

Catspaw (warning: thread creep): did you ever see the Star Trek episode (second bunch) where Patrick Stewart gets zonked by a strange satellite and has a completely different life added to the one he was already having? Perhaps my all time favourite episode -- very thoughtful, very upsetting.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 20 May 00 - 06:15 PM

Basics of a Ramblin' Jack Elliott discography are online at http://www.wirz.de/music/elliodsc.htm

Additions/Corrections are much appreciated !

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 May 00 - 06:28 PM

And he will be a guest on Prairie Home Companion tonight, and if you are lucky, again tomorrow because my NPR station runs the program twice!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 May 00 - 06:32 PM

Sorry, forgot this: you can listen to the show and/or watch a "netcast" by clicking this:

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 May 00 - 06:34 PM

Darn, got so excited, I messed it up! Here ya go: Click here

Subject: RE: BS: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 May 00 - 09:49 PM

Peter T,

The episode of Star Trek you described is called THE INNER LIGHT and it's always been my favorite of all---any generation.

I caught an hour of Pr. Home Comp. tonight and I simply couldn't believe it how they slighted Jack E. My God, I mean they had paid to have him there and then let him do one damn song and cut off his last one. Garrison went on and on and on with that silly Lake Wonderkind crap that has kept me turning off the show in the middle for the last 5 years or more. And that stupid stuff that passes for theatrical comedy is just inane... But maybe there was more to the show where Jack sang a whole set---but I'll be pleasantly surprised if that is the case.

Art Thieme