Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 55

Odetta

Singer and guitarist, born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. During the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s, she was known for her performances of African-American folk music, and for her albums with their repertory of spirtuals, blues, and children's songs. She toured the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in 1974 and appeared in films, stage musicals, and on television.

Odetta

Odetta, 2005
Background information
Birth name Odetta Holmes
Also known as Odetta Felious (her stepfather's surname), Odetta Gordon
Born December 31, 1930
Birmingham, Alabama
Genre(s) Folk/traditional
Blues
Jazz
Spirituals
Country blues
Occupation(s) Singer, musician
Instrument(s) Vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard
Years active 1944-present
Label(s) Fantasy Records
Tradition Recordings
Vanguard Records
RCA Victor
M.C. Music Series

Filmography and TV appearances

Film/programme title Info Year
Cinerama Holiday Film 1955
Lamp Onto My Feet TV 1956
Tonight with Belafonte TV/Musical Variety 1959 (Emmy Award)
Toast of the Town TV 1960
Sanctuary Drama 1961
Have Gun — Will Travel
episode 159/226: "The Hanging of Aaron Gibbs"
TV drama 1961
Les Crane Show TV/Talk/Variety 1965
Festival docu. Bobby Vinton NBC Music Special 1968
The Dick Cavett Show TV/Talk/Variety 1969
The Johnny Cash Show TV/Musical Variety 1969
The Virginia 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 doc. Friends TV - Concert 1992
The Fire Next Time TV film 1993
Turnabout
The Story of the Yale Puppeteers
doc. 1993
Odetta: Woman In (E)motion German TV - Concert Special 1995
Peter, Paul and Mary: Lifelines TV 1996
National Medial of Arts and Humanities Presentations C-Span TV 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, and Bill Weyman & His Rhythm Kings
BBC-TV 2001
Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher TV Talk Show 2001
Late Night with David Letterman TV/Talk/Variety Show 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
doc. 2003
Tennessee Ernie Ford Show TV Musical Variety (Re-Broadcast) 2003
Ralph Bunch: An American Odyssey PBS-TV Biography 2003
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin PBS-TV Biography 2003
Visonary Awards Presentation PBS-TV - Award Presentation 2004
Lightning in a Bottle - Salute to the Blues doc. 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

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