Odetta (December 31, 1930 - December 2, 2008) was an African-American singe… Read Full Bio ↴Odetta (December 31, 1930 - December 2, 2008) was an African-American singer whose repertoire consists largely of American folk music, blues, and spirituals.
She was born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama, grew up in Los Angeles, California, and studied music at Los Angeles City College. Having operatic training from the age of 13, her first professional experience was in musical theater, with a touring company of the musical Finian's Rainbow in 1949.
While on tour with Finian's Rainbow, Odetta "fell in with an enthusiastic group of young balladeers", and after 1951 concentrated on folksinging. She made her name by playing around the country: at the Blue Angel nightclub (New York City), the hungry i (San Francisco), and Tin Angel (San Francisco), where she and Larry Mohr recorded Odetta and Larry in 1954, for Fantasy Records.
A solo career followed, with Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) and a live album recorded at the Gate of Horn in Chicago in 1957. Harry Belafonte included her in a nationwide television special in 1959, and Odetta Sings Folk Songs was one of 1963's best-selling folk albums.
Odetta was active in the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. called her "the queen of American folk music". Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were among many folk musicians who credited Odetta with being a major influence on their work.
Having previous acting experience, Odetta also acted in several films, notably the film of William Faulkner's Sanctuary (1961) and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974).
On December 02, 2008, Odetta died from heart disease in New York City. She was 77 years of age.
She was born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama, grew up in Los Angeles, California, and studied music at Los Angeles City College. Having operatic training from the age of 13, her first professional experience was in musical theater, with a touring company of the musical Finian's Rainbow in 1949.
While on tour with Finian's Rainbow, Odetta "fell in with an enthusiastic group of young balladeers", and after 1951 concentrated on folksinging. She made her name by playing around the country: at the Blue Angel nightclub (New York City), the hungry i (San Francisco), and Tin Angel (San Francisco), where she and Larry Mohr recorded Odetta and Larry in 1954, for Fantasy Records.
A solo career followed, with Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) and a live album recorded at the Gate of Horn in Chicago in 1957. Harry Belafonte included her in a nationwide television special in 1959, and Odetta Sings Folk Songs was one of 1963's best-selling folk albums.
Odetta was active in the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. called her "the queen of American folk music". Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were among many folk musicians who credited Odetta with being a major influence on their work.
Having previous acting experience, Odetta also acted in several films, notably the film of William Faulkner's Sanctuary (1961) and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974).
On December 02, 2008, Odetta died from heart disease in New York City. She was 77 years of age.
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Sings Ballads and Blues
Odetta Lyrics
Alabama Bound I′m Alabama bound I'm Alabama bound And if this train don′t …
Another Man Done Gone Another man done gone, Another man done gone, Another man …
Deep Blue Sea Lately oh baby I've been feeling crazy Like I'm bout to…
Easy Rider A A7 Easy rider, see what you done, done, Lawd, Lawd, D7…
Glory, Glory Glory glory, hallelujah, When I laid my burden down. Glory g…
God's Gonna Cut You Down You may run home for a long time Run on for…
Hound Dog Hound dog, bay at the moon Lift up your long skinny…
If I Had a Ribbon Bow If I had a ribbon bow to bind my hair If…
Jack O' Diamonds Jack o'Diamonds is a hard card to play Jack o'Diamonds is…
Joshua Joshua fit the battle of Jericho My lord, Jericho, well-a, J…
Muleskinner Blues Good morning, Captain Good morning, son Good morning, Captai…
Santy Anno We're sailin' 'cross the river from Liverpool, Heave away, …
Shame and Scandal Whoa me Shame And scandal on the family Whoa me Shame And sc…