My memories of Dave are simple. One of many things I appreciated about Dave was that his musical taste was broader than he liked to admit. He was always irritated that people called him a folksinger, despite the fact that he did an album titled Dave Van Ronk: Folksinger. I understood that he had always wanted to be a jazz man, and as a second choice considered himself a blues man. The reality is that Dave loved the Carter Family, Clarence Ashley, Doc Boggs and all the denizens of The Anthology Of American Folk Music. He probably knew and sang a lot more folk music than he would ever admit to, and his picking style owed as much to Elizabeth Cotton and Merle Travis as it did to Mississippi John Hurt or Blind Blake.

Dave's appreciation of traditional, southern mountain folk music must have been sorely tested, running the Monday Night Hoontenannies at the Gaslight Cafe. I'm not sure he could even speak that word. He was the one who first encouraged me to get up and sing a couple of songs at the Gaslight, which was a terrifying experiences. Once I got my feet wet, Dave was always happy to see me at the Hoots (or anyone else for that matter, who was willing to get up and sing.) Dave really wanted to be sitting upstairs at the Kettle of Fish, nursing a drink and spinning tale tales. On occasion he'd sneak up to the Kettle and ask me to keep the Hoot going. That was fine with me. I don't think Dave was partial to Joan Baez wannabees, but to his credit, he was always friendly and welcoming to musicians whether he secretly couldn't stand their music. Maybe me included, although I think he did like my stuff. I was very honored one time when I was doing a two song set at Folk City, and Dave came up and sang harmony on Wayfaring Stranger. He probably encouraged more aspiring, and perspiring young folk singers than any other person in the Village.