Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, but ran away to join the rodeo at age 15. Although his parents tracked him down, the three-month stint introduced him to a banjo-playing rodeo clown, setting Elliott's career in motion. (His next mentor, Woody Guthrie, was a touch more established in folk circles.) He’s spent the five decades since passing on his own love of blues and folk music to a generation of up-and-comers; upon awarding Elliott the National Medal Of The Arts in 1998, then-President Clinton rightly declared the singer-songwriter “an American treasure.” 2009’s A Stranger Here added another trophy to Elliott’s case, when the collection of pre-WWII blues standards netted him a Grammy.

Updated 04/28/2010