3 Folk Musicians From the 1960s Who Have Been (Wrongfully) Swept Under the Rug

Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Pete Seeger, Donovan, and Judy Collins—Those are the names from the 1960s folk music scene most often remembered. If you are a folk music fan, then you know that there are a handful of musicians just as talented as the ones listed above who never achieved the same level of notoriety and success. If you aren’t a devout folk fan, then you might not know that, but you will after reading this article.

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The soul of folk music denounces the very things that a successful musical career often entails. That being said, some folk musicians decided against commercial success, whereas others just didn’t achieve it. Regardless, here are three folk musicians from the 1960s who have been (wrongfully) swept under the rug.

Dave Van Ronk

Dave Van Ronk is a staple figure in the world of folk music. So, if you’re taste in folk music expands beyond Dylan and Baez, then you surely know who Van Ronk is. If you are not one of those people, then you probably don’t. Nevertheless, Van Ronk was known as the “Mayor of MacDougal Street” during the infamous Greenwich Village Folk scene.

Before his passing in 2002, Van Ronk released beautifully played and arranged pieces such as “He Was A Friend Of Mine”, “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me”, and “Green Rocky Road”. Also, notably Dylan, without Van Ronk’s permission, covered his version of “House Of The Rising Sun”, one of the many songs that helped launch Dylan’s career.

Karen Dalton

Karen Dalton walked and talked alongside Baez, Dylan, Ochs, and every other notable name in the Greenwich Village Folk scene. However, her career never reached the same level as her peers’. During her career, Dalton released only two albums.

Dalton was painfully shy and had a disdain for the commercialism embedded in the music industry. Thus, her music career started to decline after her second album was released in 1971. However, musicians such as Nick Cave and Joanna Newsom have acknowledged Bolton as a significant influence on their work.

Jackson C. Frank

Jackson C. Frank’s music career was fleeting, as the storied folk musician only released one album during his career. That body of work was the 1965 self-titled debut album, which was produced in London by Paul Simon. Staples on the album include “Blues Run The Game”, “My Name Is Carnival”, and “Kimbie”.

Since his passing in 1999, several posthumous albums have been released, and Frank’s folk legacy has lived on. Though only the true folkies know about this underrated and talented singer/songwriter. Frank’s music career ended due to his battle with schizophrenia and depression.

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