Dave Van Ronk was born on June 30, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was married to Andrea Marie Vuocolo and Terri Thal. He died on February 10, 2002 in New York City, New York, USA.
He was the primary inspiration for the title character in the Coen Brothers' film Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).
Upon his death, his remains were interred at the First Presbyterian Church in New York City.
A seminal figure in the 1960s folk scene. He was a friend, colleague and something of a mentor for the young Bob Dylan when the later came to Greenwich Village in 1961. Van Ronk was one of the few folkies to publically support Dylan after he went "electric" and started playing rock music.
He was involved in many radical left-wing causes, including the Workers League, was a dues paying member of Industrial Workers of The World (IWW) up until his death.