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ABOUT
Born in 1931 as Elliott Charles Adnopoz to a Jewish doctor from New York, it was slightly disconcerting for Jack Elliott’s parents to learn of his wishes to not follow in his father’s footsteps but rather pursue a dream of becoming a cowboy. Reacting to the pressure placed on his future, he ran away from home at the age of 15 and joined a traveling rodeo. Though the stint only lasted three months before his parents found him and dragged him back home, it left an indelible mark. He taught himself to play guitar and aspired to become a well-respected folk performer with dustings of country, bluegrass and blues.
Elliott later acquired the Ramblin’ moniker as a result of his notorious tendancy to ramble on with endless stories when approached with a simple question. He found a mentor in Woody Guthrie and quickly developed a strong musical and personal relationship. Guthrie eventually introduced him to Bob Dylan, who cites Elliott as a major influence on his own work. Elliott appeared on Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue and was featured in his film, Renaldo and Clara.
His daughter, Aiyana, documented their relationship and her father’s career in the 2000 documentary, The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack. His honors have included a Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy for his 1995 comeback, South Coast, and the 1998 National Medal of the Arts. His 1997 release of duets, Friends of Mine, brought many of Elliott’s musically-inclined acquaintances into the studio, including Joe Ely, Tom Waits and John Prine.
WEBSITE
www.ramblinjack.com |
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