ODETTA (1930-2008) was a singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter and a human rights activist. She is often referred to as “The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement”.
Called one of the great treasures of American music, she has influenced such artists as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Maya Angelou. Since her ’54 debut album, she’s toured the world telling stories of America’s southern experience in her songs. Odetta sang at the March on Washington in ’63, marched with Dr. King in Selma and protested against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on New Year’s Eve, 1930, and raised in Los Angeles, Odetta Holmes was schooled in opera from the age of 13. At 18, she joined the chorus of the road company tour of Finian’s Rainbow. Around 1950, she started to lend her classical and musical-stage training to the folk repertoire. Within ten years, she had already played to a full house at Carnegie Hall.
According to Harry Belafonte, in his foreword for her Vanguard album, My Eyes Have Seen: “Few…possess that fine understanding of a song’s meaning which transforms it from a melody into a dramatic experience. Odetta, who has influenced me greatly in this area of dramatic interpretation, is just such an artist. The sensitivity and belief which she brings to her performances surpass even her vocal gifts, which are of the highest quality.”
By the 1960s, Odetta had distinguished herself as a talented actress. She made her film debut in Faulkner’s Sanctuary. On stage, director John Wood cast her in the role of Tituba in The Crucible for the Stratford Shakespeare Company in Ontario.
Throughout her life, Odetta felt obligated to use her success for social change. Active in the Civil Rights Movement, she sang at the historic March on Washington in 1963, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma, and repeated her performance at the 20th anniversary of the March on Washington in 1983. Odetta performed for President John F. Kennedy on the nationally televised civil rights special, “Dinner with the President.” She vehemently protested against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Her involvement with countless grassroots efforts to improve the human condition garnered her the World Folk Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
On September 29, 1999, President Bill Clinton presented Odetta with the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Medal of Arts. In 2004, Odetta was honored at the Kennedy Center in Washington with the “Visionary Award” along with a tribute performance by Tracy Chapman. In 2005, the Library of Congress in Washington honored her with its “Living Legend Award”.
For Odetta and many other survivors of the Civil Rights Movement, the election of Barack Obama as president signaled a fulfilling chapter in the struggle. As she sank toward death in New York City, Odetta had an Obama poster taped on the wall across from her bed. Hospitalized with kidney failure on Monday, she kept willing herself to live because, her manager Doug Yeager wrote on a fansite just before her death, “Odetta believes she is going to sing at Obama’s inauguration and I believe that is the reason she is still alive.”
On December 2, 2008, Odetta died from heart disease in New York City. However, her music will always live on. Best said by Maya Angelou: “Thank you Odetta, for continuing to define and enlighten our load.”
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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what a great woman!
Peace and Blessings to her and all the people she motivated and touched. It’s all about contributing Positivily to Society, and when you leave this Earth knowing you brought so much more. May this Great Inspirational Woman Rest in Peace! I
She is still an inspiration and when I listen to this woman’s voice chills run up and down my spine. Although she passed away before being able to perform at Barack Obama’s inauguration at least in her lifetime she was able to see a brilliant black man elected president. Rest in Peace Odetta Holmes
Wow. Never knew anything about her! Very inspirational, and would hope more vocalists and artists would perform with such passion and purpose.
Beautiful woman inside and out.
I just found out who she was this morning. She had a fufilled life here on earth. RIP
I’ll have to surf YouTube to experience the talent…R.I.P.
What an inspiration. Thanks CL!!!
If she influence Janis, I have to check up on her! Janis is amazing and to influence a talent like that… she must be OUT OF THIS WORLD! Can’t wait… thanks for the info J.
I was sad to hear about her passing. May she keep singing in heaven RIP
Big ups CL!
Odetta was beautiful inside and out. I love that picture of her on the left. She was doing big things. I Love how she gave back to the community. A true angel on earth. God bless her and her fam. RIP
Rest in Peace, Odetta.
I FEEL LIKE I SLIGHTED MYSELF FOR NOT DOING THE RESEARCH ON ODETTA. I’VE HEARD OF HER LIKE FOREVER BUT I NEVER KNEW SHE WAS BLACK…
RIP…it’s so sad that the most inspirational women don’t get recognized, but the LEAST inspirational like Beyonce gets all the glory….Ms. Odetta was a marvelous woman who was in the Civil Rights Movement helped us a race to overcome such ingorance! Well now she’s resting in peace!!
Although she didn’t make it to the inauguration, she still got to see Obama win the election.
YES WE CAN!!!
Wonderful life story!
Once again a nice piece of history everytime I read these black history pieces it makes me proud…Keep them coming
Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really appreciate the BLACK HISTORY….would not have known about this ‘wonderful inspirational woman’ who has left us too soon! Was surprised to read that SHE was a major influence for ppl like BobDylan and dem…ppl whose lives you get to KNOW & HEAR about. Just goes to show how influential and IMPORTANT black people WERE and still ARE!!
“Can’t shut us down….harder you try, inevitably we fall, better we understand, FASTER WE RISE!!!! “
she has influenced such artists as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Maya Angelou
Wow, I had no idea who this is. I have to go look around for more information, sounds interesting.