Comments on: Odetta has passed away

Odetta has passed away

TomSophieIvy — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:29:20 -0800

Odetta, folk singer and so much more, has died at age 77. The NYT has the final word with Odetta. "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."

By: ageispolis

ageispolis — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:43:02 -0800

. . . She was supposed to sing come January for Obama's inauguration. She's been touring the last few years in her wheelchair. Truly a remarkable woman, an inspiration, and damn did she ever have a staggering voice. R.I.P.

By: ageispolis

ageispolis — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:48:29 -0800

Water Boy, and half a century later, House of the Rising Sun.

By: pointilist

pointilist — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:49:40 -0800

oh, man. .

By: ktrey

ktrey — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:54:12 -0800

By: serazin

serazin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:08:44 -0800

Her voice was astounding. And so was her commitment to struggle and so was her intellect. I found a recent interview with Tavis here.

By: salishsea

salishsea — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:35:38 -0800

ageispolis...Water Boy had my hair standing on end. What a powerful delivery. More: For Obama Jim Crow Blues, a Cold War propaganda documentary on the Freedom March with more Odetta, and this is just short and sweet...watch her face...utter delight in her art. .

By: lapolla

lapolla — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:47:14 -0800

By: Dee Xtrovert

Dee Xtrovert — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:56:44 -0800

It's not a well-known film, but "Dogfight," starring Lili Taylor has a wonderful scene in which she attempts to convey her enthusiastic admiration of Odetta to a character played by River Phoenix. Taylor plays it with a great combination of adoration for Odetta the artist and optimism for the world her music often expressed. That's where I first encountered Odetta. There's something a bit dated in Odetta's style that probably means she won't be "rediscovered" in the same manner as Elizabeth Cotten, Fred Neil or Karen Dalton. I imagine she'll seem much more linked to an era and a movement than many lesser artists will. But to a time struggling with civil rights and integration, what a rock she must have been. Her strength and resolve were unmistakably hardcore. She'd had a beautiful soul. And they don't make them like her any longer, to our great loss. .

By: Araucaria

Araucaria — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:42:33 -0800

I saw her sing in the Cathedral of St. John, back in '86. Her voice filled that space. .

By: Araucaria

Araucaria — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:44:54 -0800

St. John the unfinished, that is.

By: Rumple

Rumple — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:01:55 -0800

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:26:16 -0800

Ah, damn. I believe she was slated to perform at Obama's innauguration, too. It's sad she won't be there to see it and take part. Real glad she could see the man elected, though. .

By: allen.spaulding

allen.spaulding — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:05:27 -0800

was just talking about her tonight. sigh. .

By: quazichimp

quazichimp — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:27:27 -0800

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:23:55 -0800

By: Faze

Faze — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:36:35 -0800

There's something a bit dated in Odetta's style... I've always wondered why Odetta wasn't a much bigger star. I always tried to like her much more than I actually could. Even in the sixties, she was really only tolerable in small doses. You heard Odetta and thought, "Wow, what a voice. What a face. What a presence." And moved on. I think that for all its power, her voice had a severely limited range. It wasn't a supple emotional instrument. What it did best was assert its own strength, which you had to acknowledge, if not enjoy.

By: El Brendano

El Brendano — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:53:16 -0800

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:36:31 -0800

Very sad news. .

By: Smart Dalek

Smart Dalek — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:01:47 -0800

♪

By: applemeat

applemeat — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:04:19 -0800

. Her voice and awareness occupied a huge presence and she was an inspirational and remarkably intelligent woman. I think I'll put on Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues to commemorate her sad passing. ..[23 seconds in] OK, that's enough.

By: -t

-t — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:22:07 -0800

:-( .

By: rongorongo

rongorongo — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:45:47 -0800

. what a voice!

By: msconduct

msconduct — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:13:52 -0800

crap. double crap. i knew she was sick, but ... crap. .

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:21:19 -0800

When I'm high, I AM Odetta. .

By: jdfalk

jdfalk — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:26:25 -0800

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:50:13 -0800

. What A Friend We Have In Jesus

By: Lentrohamsanin

Lentrohamsanin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:02:30 -0800

My wife is a huge fan and turned me on to Odetta. We knew this was coming but still, very sad.

By: QIbHom

QIbHom — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:08:02 -0800

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:57:55 -0800

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:11:35 -0800

Odetta has appeared regularly on A Prairie Home Companion: April 27, 2002, April 9, 2005, May 28, 2005, December 24, 2005, December 23, 2006, July 14, 2007*, December 8, 2007* and March 29, 2008*. (Most links are RealAudio, except * which use a Flash player.)

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:16:11 -0800

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:43:24 -0800

aww. Odetta was very much a part of Obama being elected. How wonderful she saw him elected. Right on sistuh!!! What a voice! Thank you for your amazing life. You left the world a better place. Rest in peace.

By: desuetude

desuetude — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:50:07 -0800

. Damn, damn, damn. I still remember my jaw dropping the first time I heard her sing.

By: rtha

rtha — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:50:22 -0800

By: digaman

digaman — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:22:30 -0800

A force of nature.

By: ameliajayne

ameliajayne — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:30:26 -0800

By: cookie-k

cookie-k — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:31:10 -0800

Shit, but the timing sucks. (And for Obama, losing his Toot as well) .

By: troubles

troubles — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:40:29 -0800

I saw her at the Ottawa Folk Festival this August, a warm moonlit night. was completely blown away. I barely knew anything about her before then. I recorded some video of her performing "House of the Rising Sun" that I'll put together and link here as soon as its done. So sad, I had another song she performed, stuck in my head all day yesterday. .

By: mike3k

mike3k — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:36:32 -0800

By: filthy light thief

filthy light thief — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:39:54 -0800

. Note to self: when it comes to seeing great musicians perform, do not pass it up, because it might be you last chance.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:24:50 -0800

By: troubles

troubles — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:39:19 -0800

here it is: House of the Rising Sun, Ottawa Folk Festival, August 2008 (You'll have to forgive my fascination with the flying insects around the stage lights that i recorded for the first part of the video, I just found them kinda beautiful.)