Ramblin' Jack Elliott rambles into Park City tonight

Ramblin' Jack Elliott • A touring partner of the late Woody Guthrie, Elliott became known during the folk revival of the early 1960s; a young Bob Dylan regularly opened for him. Some even thought the Brooklyn-born Elliott was Dylan's father, because he always introduced Dylan as his "son."Over the years, Elliott — called "Ramblin' " because of his talkative nature and his never-ending tour schedule — became friends with many performers. One good friend was Bruce "Utah" Phillips, the rabble-rousing cowboy poet and folk singer who died in 2008."We're two different leaves on the same plant," Elliott said of Phillips. They often toured together, and Phillips good-naturedly forbade Elliott from coming into his dressing room before shows, because Elliott would start a long conversations when Phillips wanted to rehearse. "I talked too much," Elliott admitted.Elliott said his songs of hard traveling are still relevant especially in light of the world's economic troubles. "They don't want to call it a Depression," he said. "They call it a Recession, which is a softer term."While "fond of Jesus," Elliott doesn't consider himself the church-going type. "My religion is hitchhiking and yoga and bull-riding and roping horses," he said. He prays most often when he is about to lift off in a plane. "I bless every moving part of the plane," he said. "It takes care of boredom when you're taxiing."Young British folk-rocker Bobby Long, who performs at Kilby Court the same night as Elliott headlines in Park City, summed up the importance of the 81-year-old Elliott. "He's the middle ground between Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan."

Ramblin' Jack ElliottWhen • Thursday, Aug. 22, at 8 p.m.Where • Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., Park CityTickets • $23-$38 at egyptiantheatrecompany.org