Odetta

Odetta
Odetta in 1961
Odetta in 1961
Background information
Birth nameOdetta Holmes
Also known asOdetta Gordon, Odetta Felious
Born(1930-12-31)December 31, 1930
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
DiedDecember 2, 2008(2008-12-02) (aged 77)
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • activist
Years active1944–2008
Labels
Spouse(s)Don Gordon (m. 1959; div. 1959)
Iverson Minter (m. 1977; div. 1983)

Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008),[1][2] known as Odetta, was an American singer, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement".[3] Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals. An important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, she influenced many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, and Janis Joplin. In 2011 Time magazine included her recording of "Take This Hammer" on its list of the 100 Greatest Popular Songs, stating that "Rosa Parks was her No. 1 fan, and Martin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music."[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference LarkinGE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT Obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Kreps, Daniel (March 12, 2008). "Folk Singer and Civil Rights Activist Odetta Dead at 77". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  4. ^ Winter, Jessica (October 24, 2011). "'Take This Hammer". Time. Retrieved December 30, 2020.