Amoeba Music

BY J Poet

Odetta’s booming, soulful voice and powerful guitar playing made her one of the most influential performers of the 60s folk revival. Her interest in African American folk music, including the pre-blues songs of the South, blues, ragtime, spirituals and jazz led her to start collecting and documenting songs, making her an impressive ameateur folklorist. She was one of the first performers to embrace the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s, helping to inspire several generations of activists and singers including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman.

Martin Luther King, Jr. called her The Queen of American folk music and Maya Angelou once said: “If only one could be sure that every 50 years... Read More

City Of Origin:

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Genre:

Blues, Gospel & Christian, Gospel, Old-Time Gospel, Folk, Traditional Folk, Classic Folk

Birthdate:

12/31/1930

Death date:

12/02/2008