Sunday night Zoe and I watched the Grammy's. Not something we normally do but Dave Van Ronk was up for a Grammy in traditional Folk. While watching we googled away (Zoe on her Mac and I on my PC (we have a mixed relationship)) only to discover that the Traditional Folk category wasn't going to be televised but Zoe found this article by Christine Lavin. [Disclosure: Zoe and I work on Christine's website.] She read it to me. I would read it to you but you will have to read it for yourself.

On Grammy Night, an Elegy for A Folk Hero
by Christine Lavin

In one of the obscure categories that won't be televised live at tonight's 47th Annual Grammy Awards -- traditional folk -- is a nominee who can count among his fans actors Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, novelists Lawrence Block, Carl Hiaasen and Stephen King, folk singers Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Suzanne Vega, Richie Havens, Odetta . . . and even the Oregon Psychiatric Association, which in 1997 made him an honorary member simply because they liked his music that much. His name is Dave Van Ronk. During his lifetime he performed concerts around the world, taught countless young guitarists how to play, recorded more than 35 albums, received an ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award . . . yet never won a Grammy. He was nominated only once before, in 1996, but watched his friend Ramblin' Jack Elliott win it that year. Tonight in Los Angeles is his last chance. Dave died Feb. 10, 2002, at age 65; I was one of the young guitarists who studied with him, having moved to New York in 1976 for that sole purpose. We ended up pals for 26 years. The nominated album, titled "And the Tin Pan Bended and the Story Ended," was recorded at Dave's final concert, performed Oct. 22, 2001, at the Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church in Adelphi. Three days before the concert he was diagnosed with colon cancer and scheduled to enter the hospital on Halloween. "Not an auspicious sign," he joked. There's a lot riding on this for Dave. The Grammy Award is an official stamp of approval that could make all the more valuable the 60-plus hours of never-released archival tapes belonging to his widow, Andrea Vuocolo. In the first chapter of Bob Dylan's "Chronicles," recently nominated for a National Book Award, he acknowledges the great influence Van Ronk had on him, so when Dave's own book, "The Mayor of MacDougal Street," is published in May, a Grammy win would shine the spotlight more brightly on that, too. And there is Martin Scorsese's documentary for PBS, set to air this year (working title: "Bob Dylan's American Journey"), in which Dave is prominently featured.

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Further googling showed that Dave didn't win a Grammy. However, in my world, Dave did win. Listen to Dave's album. Listen to any of his albums. Trust me on this.