Odetta

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Odetta bigraphy, stories - Activists

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