Odetta : biography
December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008
Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a civil and human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". 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 was influential to many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, and Janis Joplin. Time included her song "Take This Hammer" on its list of the All-Time 100 Songs, stating that "Rosa Parks was her No. 1 fan, and Martin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music."
Filmography
Film/programme title | Info | Year |
---|---|---|
Cinerama Holiday | Film | 1955 |
Lamp Unto My Feet | TV | 1956 |
Tonight with Belafonte | TV/Musical Variety (Emmy Award) | 1959 |
Toast of the Town | TV | 1960 |
Sanctuary | Drama | 1961 |
Have Gun – Will Travelepisode 159/226: "The Hanging of Aaron Gibbs" | TV drama | 1961 |
Les Crane Show | TV/Talk/Variety | 1965 |
Festival | documentary film | 1967 |
Live from the Bitter End | TV – Concert | 1967 |
Clown Townstarring Odetta & 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 Folkswith Odetta, Tom Paxton, Josh White, Jr. and Bob Gibson | TV – Concert Special | 1980 |
Ramblin’: with Odetta | TV – Concert Special | 1981 |
Chords of Fame | doc. | 1984 |
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade | 1989 | |
Boston Popswith Odetta, Shirley Verrett and Boys Choir of Harlem | TV – Concert | 1991 |
Tommy Makem & 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 Medal of Arts and Humanities Presentations | C-SPAN | 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 Hollandwith Odetta, and Bill Wyman & His Rhythm Kings | BBC-TV | 2001 |
Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher | TV Talk Show | 2001 |
Late Show 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 |
Visionary Awards Presentation | PBS-TV Award Presentation | 2004 |
Lightning in a Bottle – Salute to the Blues | doc. | 2004 |
No Direction Home | 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 |
A Tribute to the Teachers of America | PBS-TV Special: Concert at The Town Hall, New York Odetta sings a children’s song medley of "Rock Island Line/Here We Go Looptie-Lou/Bring Me Little Water Sylvie" | 2007 |
The Tavis Smiley Show | PBS-TV Discussion and performance of the song "Keep on Movin’ It On" | 25 January 2008 |
Mountain Stage HD: John Hammond, Odetta, and Jorma Kaukonen | PBS-TV Concert Special | 2008 |
Odetta Remembers | BBC Four interview and concert footage, 30 mins 23 February 2009 | 6 Feb 2009 |
The Yellow Bittern | A Biopic of Liam Clancy of The Clancy Brothers | 2009 |