Elijah Wald has been singing and playing guitar for almost fifty years in a wide variety of styles, from blues, folk, ragtime, swing, country, and cowboy songs to classic Swahili pop, the Bahamian guitar style of Joseph Spence, and Mexican corridos. He hit the road in his late teens as a rambling busker, and has toured all over the United States and much of the rest of the world

Elijah performed and recorded with Dave Van Ronk, and is also coauthor of Dave’s memoir, The Mayor of MacDougal Street (which inspired the Coen brothers’ movie Inside Llewyn Davis).

In his equally impressive second career, he’s written books on Josh White and Robert Johnson, an exploration of Jelly Roll Morton and the censorship of early blues, an alternative history of popular music provocatively titled How the Beatles Destroyed Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Dylan Goes Electric!, the basis of the film A Complete Unknown, which deservedly got great reviews and notices, including from Mr. Dylan himself.

His subject is the legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliott, who was born Elliott Charles Adnopoz in Brooklyn in 1931, and left home at the age of 15 to join the rodeo. He's been on the road virtually ever since.

Ramblin Jack Elliott's website.

Elijah Wald's website.

The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack, a documentary by Jack's daughter. Alyana.