C&L's Late Nite Music Club with Odetta
By Howie Klein Wednesday Dec 03, 2008 8:00pmOdetta, widely honored as the "Voice of the Civil Rights Movement" died Tuesday, age 77. When I was a kid infatuated with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez I looked for their roots in the blues and found Odetta. I booked her to play at my college and was blown away by the authenticity of her music.
Odetta Holmes was born in Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 31, 1930, in the depths of the Depression. The music of that time and place-- particularly prison songs and work songs recorded in the fields of the Deep South-- shaped her life.
"They were liberation songs," she said in a videotaped interview with the New York Times in 2007 for its online feature "The Last Word." "You're walking down life's road, society's foot is on your throat, every which way you turn you can't get from under that foot. And you reach a fork in the road and you can either lie down and die, or insist upon your life."
She never had anything like what you would call a hit but her version of this Lead Belly song was something everyone loved around my campus, well, not the Young Republicans, but everyone else.
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Odetta is an authentic voice for the blues. To me, blues and folk singers have a rougher gig in some respects than a pop star or rock star. They are like Supreme Court justices; they serve to the end. Odetta was booked to play Nov. 16 here in Chicago a LilFest. I did not attend. I regret my absence. She, like Johnny Cash, like Carl Perkins, like Townes Van Zandt, like Jimmy Rodgers, like Muddy, and Leadbelly played to the end of the gig. Her heyday was everpresent as she stayed on the road connecting and reconnecting with her audience. There is something to be said for finding that thing you do and doing it to the last bit.
I respect her work. I respect her work ethic. And I miss not seeing her one last time. What a talent.
I grew up listening to her music. "The Midnight Special" in Chicago played her routinely. What an amazing voice she had - a real powerhouse. I can't get the video here (for god knows what reason) - but I think I'll just go take a little tour around on youtube . . . .
REALLY loved this woman. Made sure my kids knew her too.
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No wonder she influenced so many people, with a beautiful voice like that.
I would have posted some of Odetta’s songs long before today but every time I put “Odetta” in youtube’s search engine it would come up “oddball”. R.I.P. sweet voice of truth.
Odetta Live in concert 2005, "House of the Rising Sun"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aaya8jYZBO8&fe...
Hymn - Snow, Odetta and Ian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL7yrpQB9Ow
Both of them are so haunting. The vocal harmonizing in Hymn is exceptional.
Thanks, lafingas, for those treats.
Michigan Water Blues (Dave Van Ronk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-PtzcHv5mQ
The Late, Great Dave Van Ronk: "Stackerlee"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktThpR_s6jI&fe...
Dave Van Ronk cover Cocaine Blues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBRNl4VEBaQ
"This, this is a tick
This is all the blood I lost just getting to sleep"
"Do anything just to sooth the sunburn"
"Ooh you sunburn
Ooh you sunburn
Buzy making blisters"
http://tbsn.thesequencers.us/wp-content/uploa...
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"Help me butcher up this angel
I want her wings" - the Ruxpin
"Learn to fly" - Foo Fighters
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http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
That was lovely. I enjoyed that very much.
Calg., I've alWAYs appreciated you appreciation of what I have to say my friend. :-)
always, mon ami.
said - "The Late"
Makes me thing about the band titled "Lake", my friend ...
Lake: Scoobie Doobies -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
Lake: Welcome To The West -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
Lake: Fight It Together -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
Lake: See Them Glow (remenecent of a R.E.M. tune, IMHO) -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
Lake: Welcome To The West -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
lication.
It seems I posted Lake's 'Welcome To The West' twice. I think it might've been a subconciece thing 4 me, as I think it's such an important tune. John Amato might be the only one here who understands my last sentence. ;-)
Anyhow, sorry for the duplication as I think that repeating a message isn't nec.
Stan
Her music will live on forever...
"I never died, says she. No, I never died, says she."
Sleep well, everyone.
It's so rare that I'm able to say goodnight to you in real time.? Love you babe (and all my other babes)!!!!
and that's in real time, baby!!!!
Joydrop: American Dream Grrrrrrrr. -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-dFfKjMlFo
OK, I'm really going to sleep now! Honest.
haha
So you're obviously still awake.
So I guess the only thing logicly 4 me 2 do is post some more JoyDrop, and of course it's "beautiful" like U ... -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ad-2rEj5RM
and you are making it hard for me to sleep! teehee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t8f2P5hbcU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVShoMyWu8A
It's alWAYs appropriate to post this, IMHO -
http://www.technohippie.com/geeklog/public_ht...
She was SO good!
I believe Woody Guthrie's Pastures of Plenty got her some visibility post-Woodstock. Saw her once in Canada.
A bit of irony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0R8D6WTIlA
I always had Miriam Makekba, Odetta, and Nina Simone in my three powerful ladies of song.
I saw Odetta wheeled out to an appreciative crowd this past October in San Francisco. Although she looked frail and weak, she belted it out with only a keyboardist to accompany her. At least she lived long enough to see Obama get elected.
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