Ramblin’ Jack Elliott was born in Brooklyn, a Doctor’s son, but he ran away from home at 15 to join a traveling rodeo. His parents soon tracked
him down and brought him home. But Elliott’s second rodeo as a folk singer was an enduring success. Fifty years of performing, touring and recording
with two Grammy awards and a five-time nominee. Influenced by Woody Guthrie, he in turn, influenced Bob Dylan. As a troubadour, he brings old songs
to new audiences and his bag of songs is remarkably eclectic. Besides the usual traditional folkie stuff, I was surprised to hear him sing two
Jelly Roll Morton songs. (Morton was a Jazz pianist/singer of the 1920s and most of the songs he wrote stayed in the 20s.) It’s an example of Elliott’s
ability to make almost any song his own. And then, tell a funny story about it. I was forewarned that my photo subject of the evening was camera-shy.
Despite being hampered by a walking cast on his foot, he would adroitly slip around a corner out of sight whenever he saw the camera. I heard him
remark that a horse had stepped on his foot, so I put away the camera and started a horse conversation. Turned out, that was his favorite subject.
He was delighted to swap horse stories for a few minutes. Then, when he grabbed his guitar to warm up for the show, he said with a perfectly straight
face, “Aren’t you going to take my picture?” So I did. Taken upstairs in the hospitality room at McCabe’s around 1980. Ramblin’ Jack is now in his
80s...still leading his own rodeo.
© 2018 Ellen Griffith - RECALL MUSIC