Ramblin' Jack Elliott was born Elliott Charles Adnopoz, August 1, 1931. Today he is renowned as one of the most prolific American folk performers. His parents wanted him to be a doctor but he was inspired by the rodeos he attended at Madison Square Garden. He left home at the age of 15 and joined the J.E. Ranch Rodeo. He remained there for just three months. Subsequently he was exposed to his first singing cowboy, a rodeo clown who played the guitar and banjo and sang songs. Eventually he met with Woody Guthrie and learned much from him.

Then he started touring with banjo player Derroll Adams. He accompanied him to Great Britain and Europe where his music was well received and made a name for himself on the music scene there. By 1960, he released three folk albums for the British label, Topic. He continued playing in the small clubs and pubs of London. When arriving back in the U.S., Elliott found that he had become widely popular within the folk scene. Woody Guthrie hugely influenced Elliott.

Elliott was seen on Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue and performed "Longheno de Castro" in Dylan's Renaldo and Clara. His excellent guitar technique makes his style distinctive; he employs laconic, humorous storytelling and an emotional vividness in his singing.

Kenneth Williams as Rambling Syd Rumpo who was a repeating character on Round the Horne magnificently parodied him on the BBC in the 1960s. His claims of genuineness as a folk artist and derogation of other folk performers were also parodied by the Folksmen in A Mighty Wind both in the name of their "hit" Ramblin' and in their takes that their version was more reliable than the New Main Street Singer’s version.

Jack Elliott's first recording in 20 years, "South Coast", achieved him his first Grammy in 1995. The National Medal of Arts honored him in 1998. Ramblin' Jack's successful career and distorted relationship with his daughter Aiyana were recorded in her 2000 documentary, "The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack". Presently reaching 75, he has of late switched labels and released "I Stand Alone" on the Anti- label, with a variety of guest backup players consisting members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; again, an idiosyncratic compilation of little-known music delivered with wit and intensity. He made this album on a request made by his daughter and thus titled it, "Not For The Tourists". It includes the songs that were his favorites but he never performed it for the audience. Jack Elliott has had a long successful career and till date he continues to entertain his huge dedicated fan base that he has build since decades.