Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk
| The Music world lost a truly unique artist when Dave Van Ronk passed away. IMHO, Dave was an extremely underrated singer and guitar player. He made a song come to life like no other person did, and had the ability to make a song his own. His guitar playing was very unique and smooth. He will sorely be missed. If there was ever a person who deserves a boxed edition CD, it is Dave. Let's hope that all his music is re-issued. | |
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Dave Van Ronk has been one of my biggest influences. I have fond memories of taking the train into NYC and taking guitar lessons from Dave (go here for my memories of taking guitar lessons with Dave). He has certainly inspired many artists and guitar players over the years. The Unauthorized Dave Van Ronk site has some excellent DVR interviews and links. There are a number of commercially available transcriptions available to purchase. I have listed what, to my knowledge, is available and where you can find it. My goal with respect to posted Dave Van Ronk tabs is to post Van Ronk "working" transcriptions from the guitar playing populous. |
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Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop has a great DVD of Dave playing at the Bottom Line in NYC just months prior to his passing. I highly recommend this DVD!! Also available at the workshop is Dave Van Ronk Memories: In Concert 1980 DVD (Details below). |
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Dave played a jumbo Guild guitar from, I believe, the early 60's (I was fortunate enough to play this guitar when I took guitar lessons with Dave in '84). Dave had 2 of them. He once told me that he tried to find 2 that were alike, so when one needed work done to it, he could use the other in its place. He also did not change strings very often, giving the guitar a mellower sound. |
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Dave often played in standard and Dropped D tunings. I find that Dave has mainly two main right hand attacks - rock steady alternating bass technique, and monotonic bass - both picked very cleanly. |
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Dave had rather large hands and sometimes frets the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings with his thumb. He also held his right hand in a very unusual fashion. His fingers were in front of his picking thumb, and approached the strings perpendicular. He did NOT damp the strings with his heel, as his right hand position would not allow that. |
Dave Van Ronk guitar transcriptions are commercially available from the following sources:
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Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop - Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop: Kansas City Blues, Stackerlee, One Kind Favor, St James Infirmary |
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Art of Fingerstyle Guitar - Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop: Blood Red Moon, Sunday Street |
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Dave Van Ronk In Concert At The Bottom Line on DVD - Stefan
Grossman's Guitar Workshop: Titles include: 1. Down South Blues 2.You've Been A Good Old Wagon 3. Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out 4. One Meatball 5. Don't You Leave Me Here 6. Jelly, Jelly 7. Somebody Else 8. Not Me 9. Sportin' Life 10. Come Back Baby 11. Sometime 12. Did You Hear John Hurt 13. Buckets Of Rain 14. St. James' Infirmary 15. Mamie's Blues BONUS TRACKS: Dave teaches 16. Green, Green Rocky Road and 17. Cocaine Blues |
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Dave Van Ronk Memories: In Concert 1980 DVD - Stefan
Grossman's Guitar Workshop: Titles include: 1. Green Green Rocky Road, Sunday Street, He Was A Friend of Mine, Urge For Going, Stackerlee, God Bless The Child, Candyman, Would You Like To Swing On A Star, Cocaine Blues, Song To Woody, Losers and Song To A Seagull |
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Folk, Blues & Ragtime - Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop: Dave teached the following songs: Green Green Rocky Road, Kansas City Blues, Sportin' Life Blues, Sunday Street, Spike Driver's Moan, That Will Never Happen No More, Midnight Hour Blues, Cocaine Blues and Down South Blues |
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The Guitar Stylings of Dave Van Ronk - Published by Mel Bay (Out of Print): Sugar Babe, Freight Train, Buck Dancer's Choice, Spike Driver's Moan, Candy Man, Cocaine Blues, Dry Land Blues, Come Back Baby, Blood Red Moon, Sunday Street, St. Louis Tickle, The Entertainer, Maple Leaf Rag, Antelope Rag, Gaslight Rag |
Dave Van Ronk is featured in the following magazines:
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Guitar Player: March '71 |
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Acoustic Guitar: #15 '92 |