Odetta | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Odetta in 1961 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Odetta Gordon, Odetta Felious |
| Born | Odetta Holmes (1930-12-31)December 31, 1930 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | December 2, 2008(2008-12-02) (aged 77) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1944–2008 |
| Labels | |
Spouse(s) | Don Gordon (m. 1959; div. 1959) Iverson Minter (m. 1977; div. 1983) |
Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008),[1][2] known asOdetta, was an American singer, often referred to as "The Voice of theCivil Rights Movement".[3] Her musical repertoire consisted largely ofAmerican folk music,blues,jazz, andspirituals.
An important figure in theAmerican folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, she influenced many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, includingBob Dylan,Joan Baez,Mavis Staples, andJanis Joplin. In 2011Time magazine included her recording of "Take This Hammer" on its list of the 100 Greatest Popular Songs, stating that "Rosa Parks was her No. 1 fan, andMartin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music."[4]
Odetta was born Odetta Holmes inBirmingham, Alabama.[1] Her father, Reuben Holmes, died when she was young, and in 1937 she and her mother, Flora Sanders, moved toLos Angeles. When Flora remarried a man called Zadock Felious, Odetta took her stepfather's last name.[5] In 1940 Odetta's teacher noticed her vocal talents, "A teacher told my mother that I had a voice, that maybe I should study," she recalled. "But I myself didn't have anything to measure it by."[6] She began operatic training at the age of thirteen. After attendingBelmont High School, she studied music atLos Angeles City College supporting herself as adomestic worker. Flora had hoped to see her daughter follow in the footsteps ofMarian Anderson, but Odetta doubted a large black girl like herself would ever perform at theMetropolitan Opera.[7] In 1944 she made her professional debut inmusical theater as an ensemble member for four years with the HollywoodTurnabout Puppet Theatre, working alongsideElsa Lanchester. In 1949, she joined the national touring company of the musicalFinian's Rainbow.
While on tour withFinian's Rainbow, Odetta "fell in with an enthusiastic group of young balladeers in San Francisco", and after 1950 she concentrated on folk singing.[8]
She made her name playing at theBlue Angel nightclub in New York City, and thehungry i in San Francisco. AtTin Angel also in San Francisco in 1953 and 1954, Odetta recorded the albumOdetta and Larry with Larry Mohr forFantasy Records.[9]
A solo career followed, withOdetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) andAt the Gate of Horn (1957).Odetta Sings Folk Songs was one of the best-selling folk albums of 1963.
In 1959 she appeared onTonight with Belafonte, a nationally televised special. She sang "Water Boy" and a duet with Belafonte, "There's a Hole in My Bucket".[10]
In 1961,Martin Luther King Jr. called her "The Queen of American Folk Music".[11] Also in 1961, the duo Harry Belafonte and Odetta made number 32 in theUK Singles Chart with the song "There's a Hole in the Bucket".[12]
She is remembered for her performance atMarch on Washington, the 1963 civil rights demonstration, at which she sang "O Freedom".[13] She described her role in the civil rights movement as "one of the privates in a very big army".[14]
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Broadening her musical scope, Odetta used band arrangements on several albums rather than playing alone. She released music of a more "jazz" style on albums likeOdetta and the Blues (1962) andOdetta (1967). She gave a remarkable performance in 1968 at theWoody Guthrie memorial concert.[15]
Odetta acted in several films during this period, includingCinerama Holiday (1955); a cinematic production ofWilliam Faulkner'sSanctuary (1961); andThe Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974). In 1961 she appeared in an episode of the TV seriesHave Gun, Will Travel, playing the wife of a man sentenced to hang ("The Hanging of Aaron Gibbs").
She was married twice, first to Dan Gordon and then, after their divorce, to blues singer-guitarist Iverson Minter, known asLouisiana Red. Her second marriage also ended in divorce. She was also engaged (but not married) to Garry Shead.[16][7]
In May 1975 she appeared on public television'sSay Brother program, performing "Give Me Your Hand" in the studio. She spoke about her spirituality, the music tradition from which she drew, and her involvement in civil rights struggles.[17]
In 1976, Odetta performed in the U.S. Bicentennial operaBe Glad Then, America byJohn La Montaine, as the Muse for America; withDonald Gramm, Richard Lewis and thePenn State University Choir and thePittsburgh Symphony. The production was directed bySarah Caldwell who was the director of the Opera Company of Boston at the time.
In 1982, Odetta was an artist-in-residence atthe Evergreen State College inOlympia, Washington.[18]
Odetta released two albums in the 20-year period from 1977 to 1997:Movin' It On, in 1987 and a new version ofChristmas Spirituals, produced by Rachel Faro, in 1988.
Beginning in 1998, she returned to recording and touring. The new albumTo Ella (recorded live and dedicated to her friendElla Fitzgerald upon hearing of her death before walking on stage),[19] was released in 1998 on Silverwolf Records, followed by three releases on M.C. Records in partnership with pianist/arranger/producer Seth Farber and record producer Mark Carpentieri. These includedBlues Everywhere I Go, a 2000 Grammy-nominated blues/jazz band tribute album to the great lady blues singers of the 1920s and 1930s;Looking for a Home, a 2002W.C. Handy Award-nominated band tribute toLead Belly; and the 2007 Grammy-nominatedGonna Let It Shine, a live album of gospel and spiritual songs supported by Seth Farber and The Holmes Brothers. These recordings and active touring led to guest appearance on fourteen new albums by other artists between 1999 and 2006 and the re-release of 45 old Odetta albums and compilation appearances.
On September 29, 1999, PresidentBill Clinton presented Odetta with theNational Endowment for the Arts'National Medal of Arts. In 2004, Odetta was honored at theKennedy Center with the "Visionary Award" along with a tribute performance byTracy Chapman. In 2005, theLibrary of Congress honored her with its "Living Legend Award".
In mid-September 2001, Odetta performed with theBoys' Choir of Harlem on theLate Show with David Letterman, appearing on the first show after Letterman resumed broadcasting, having been off the air for several nights following the events ofSeptember 11; they performed "This Little Light of Mine".
The 2005 documentary filmNo Direction Home, directed byMartin Scorsese, highlights her musical influence onBob Dylan, the subject of the documentary. The film contains an archive clip of Odetta performing "Waterboy" on TV in 1959, as well as her "Mule Skinner Blues" and "No More Auction Block for Me".
In 2006, Odetta opened shows for jazz vocalistMadeleine Peyroux, and in 2006 she toured the U.S., Canada, and Europe accompanied by her pianist, which included being presented by the U.S. Embassy inLatvia as the keynote speaker at a human rights conference, and also in a concert inRiga's historic 1,000-year-old Maza Guild Hall. In December 2006, theWinnipeg Folk Festival honored Odetta with their "Lifetime Achievement Award". In February 2007, the International Folk Alliance awarded Odetta as "Traditional Folk Artist of the Year".
On March 24, 2007, a tribute concert to Odetta was presented at the Rachel Schlesinger Theatre by theWorld Folk Music Association with live performance and video tributes byPete Seeger,Madeleine Peyroux,Harry Belafonte,Janis Ian,Sweet Honey in the Rock,Josh White Jr.,Peter, Paul and Mary,Oscar Brand,Tom Rush,Jesse Winchester,Eric Andersen,Wavy Gravy,David Amram,Roger McGuinn,Robert Sims,Carolyn Hester, Donal Leace, Marie Knight, Side by Side, and Laura McGhee.[20]
In 2007, Odetta's albumGonna Let It Shine was nominated for a Grammy, and she completed a major Fall Concert Tour in the "Songs of Spirit" show, which included artists from all over the world. She toured around North America in late 2006 and early 2007 to support this album.[21]
On January 21, 2008, Odetta was the keynote speaker at San Diego's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration, followed by concert performances inSan Diego,Santa Barbara,Santa Monica, andMill Valley, in addition to being the sole guest for the evening on PBS-TV'sThe Tavis Smiley Show.
Odetta was honored on May 8, 2008, at a historic tribute night,[22] hosted byWavy Gravy, held at Banjo Jim's in theEast Village. Included in the billing that night were David Amram,Vincent Cross, Guy Davis, Timothy Hill, Jack Landron, Christine Lavin, Madeleine Peyroux and Chaney Sims.[22]
In summer 2008, at the age of 77, she launched a North American tour during which she sang from awheelchair.[23][24] Her set in later years included "This Little Light of Mine (I'm Gonna Let It Shine)",[25]Lead Belly's "The Bourgeois Blues",[25][26][27] "(Something Inside) So Strong", "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "House of the Rising Sun".[24]
She made an appearance on June 30, 2008, atThe Bitter End onBleecker Street, in New York City for a concert in tribute toLiam Clancy. Her last big concert, before thousands of people, was in San Francisco'sGolden Gate Park on October 4, 2008, for theHardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.[2] Her last performance was atHugh's Room in Toronto on October 25.[2]
In November 2008, Odetta's health began to decline and she began receiving treatment atLenox Hill Hospital in New York. She had hoped to perform atBarack Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2009,[2][28] but she died of heart disease in New York City on December 2, 2008, at the age of 77.[2][29][30]
At a memorial service for her in February 2009 at Riverside Church in New York City, participants includedMaya Angelou,Pete Seeger,Harry Belafonte,Geoffrey Holder,Steve Earle,Sweet Honey in the Rock,Peter Yarrow,Maria Muldaur,Tom Chapin,Josh White Jr. (son ofJosh White), Emory Joseph,Rattlesnake Annie, theBrooklyn Technical High School Chamber Chorus, and videotaped tributes fromTavis Smiley andJoan Baez.[31]
Odetta influencedHarry Belafonte, who "cited her as a key influence" on his musical career;[2]Bob Dylan, who said, "The first thing that turned me on to folk singing was Odetta. I heard a record of hersOdetta Sings Ballads and Blues in a record store, back when you could listen to records right there in the store. Right then and there, I went out and traded my electric guitar and amplifier for an acoustical guitar, a flat-topGibson.... [That album was] just something vital and personal. I learned all the songs on that record";[32]Joan Baez, who said, "Odetta was a goddess. Her passion moved me. I learned everything she sang";[33]Janis Joplin "spent much of her adolescence listening to Odetta, who was also the first person Janis imitated when she started singing";[34] the poetMaya Angelou, who once said, "If only one could be sure that every 50 years a voice and a soul like Odetta's would come along, the centuries would pass so quickly and painlessly we would hardly recognize time";[35]John Waters, whose original screenplay forHairspray mentions her as an influence onbeatniks;[36] andCarly Simon, who cited Odetta as a major influence and told of "going weak in the knees" when she had the opportunity to meet her in Greenwich Village.[37]
In 2023,Rolling Stone ranked Odetta at number 171 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[38] She became a 2024 inductee to theBlues Hall of Fame.[39]
| Film/programme title | Info | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Cinerama Holiday | Film | 1955 |
| Lamp Unto My Feet | TV | 1956 |
| Tonight withBelafonte | TV musical variety (Emmy Award) | 1959 |
| The Ford Show Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford | March 10, 1960 | |
| Toast of the Town | TV | 1960 |
| Sanctuary | Dramatic film | 1961 |
| Have Gun—Will Travel episode 159/226: "The Hanging of Aaron Gibbs" | TV drama | 1961 |
| Les Crane Show | TV talk, variety | 1965 |
| Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | TV[40] talk, variety | 1965 |
| Festival | Film documentary | 1967 |
| Live from the Bitter End | TV concert | 1967 |
| Clown Town starring Odetta & Bobby Vinton | NBC-TV music special | 1968 |
| The Dick Cavett Show | TV talk, variety | 1969 |
| The Johnny Cash Show | TV musical variety | 1969 |
| Sesame Street | Episode 117 | 1970 |
| TheVirginia Graham Show | TV | 1971 |
| The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman | TV film | 1974 |
| Soundstage: Just Folks with Odetta, Tom Paxton, Josh White Jr. and Bob Gibson | TV concert special | 1980 |
| Ramblin': With Odetta | TV concert special | 1981 |
| Chords of Fame | Film documentary | 1984 |
| Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | 1989 | |
| Boston Pops with Odetta, Shirley Verrett and Boys Choir of Harlem | TV concert | 1991 |
| Tommy Makem & Friends | TV concert | 1992 |
| The Fire Next Time | TV film | 1993 |
| Turnabout: The Story of theYale Puppeteers | Film documentary | 1993 |
| Odetta: Woman In (E)motion | German TV concert special | 1995 |
| Peter, Paul and Mary: Lifelines | TV | 1996 |
| National Medal of Arts and Humanities Presentations | TV (C-SPAN) | 1999 |
| The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack | Drama | 2000 |
| 21st Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards | Awards ceremony | 2000 |
| Songs for a Better World | TV concert special | 2000 |
| Later... with Jools Holland with Odetta andBill Wyman & HisRhythm Kings | BBC-TV | 2001 |
| Politically Incorrect withBill Maher | TV talk show | 2001 |
| Late Show with David Letterman | TV talk show, variety | 2001 |
| Pure Oxygen | TV talk show | 2002 |
| Newport Folk Festival | TV concert special | 2002 |
| Janis Joplin: Pieces of My Heart | BBC-TV biography special | 2002 |
| Get Up, Stand Up: The Story of Pop and Protest | Film documentary | 2003 |
| Tennessee Ernie Ford Show | TV musical variety, rebroadcast | 2003 |
| Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey | PBS-TV biography | 2003 |
| Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin | PBS-TV biography | 2003 |
| Visionary Awards Presentation | PBS-TV award presentation | 2004 |
| Lightning in a Bottle – Salute to the Blues | Film documentary | 2004 |
| No Direction Home | Film documentary | 2005 |
| Talking Bob Dylan Blues | BBC-TV concert special | 2005 |
| Odetta: Blues Diva | PBS-TV concert special | 2005 |
| Odetta: Viss Notiek | Latvian TV Weekly Journal | 2006 |
| A Tribute to the Teachers of America | PBS-TV special: Concert atTown Hall, New York City Odetta sings a medley of the children's songs "Rock Island Line", "Here We Go Looptie-Lou", "Bring Me Little Water Sylvie" | 2007 |
| The Tavis Smiley Show | PBS-TV discussion, performance of "Keep on Movin' It On" | January 25, 2008 |
| Mountain Stage HD: John Hammond, Odetta, and Jorma Kaukonen | PBS-TV concert special | 2008 |
| Odetta Remembers | BBC Four interview and concert footage[41] | February 6, 2009 |
| The Yellow Bittern | Film biography ofLiam Clancy, of theClancy Brothers | 2009 |
