The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #44088   Message #651250
Posted By: JudyR
15-Feb-02 - 09:48 PM
Thread Name: OBIT: RIP Dave Van Ronk (1936-2002)
Subject: RE: OBIT: RIP Dave Van Ronk
I feel like this is perhaps not a nice thing to say -- you don't talk about one man's death in terms of another -- but I keep thinking that in terms of humanity and what they gave to people, Dave had it all over Waylon. And how sadly ironic that Waylon had the greater fame, with his death attracting more attention. So many times this week, I've mentioned to people, "Dave Van Ronk died." And I get a little shrug (if people can "shrug" over the phone!). Yes, I liked country music -- I even "abandoned" folk for quite a few years in favor of it (until country became the travesty it is today). But isn't it funny? Every single time when I would go back and hear Van Ronk all over again, I'd go "yeah." I'd would resist his brand of folk as untrendy, and then I'd have this -- he'd call it "satori." I even wrote a line about it once: "You can appear to be moving around, like me, and not be going that far at all. Or you can appear to be stuck in time, and really just be sticking to your guns. It's all about illusions." Like clouds, I guess.