Odetta often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement” (especially after her appearance at The March on Washington in 1963) - was a hugely influential interpreter of American Roots Folk Blues Spirituals and Gospel songs.

She influenced many artists to follow including Bob Dylan and Joan Baez amongst others.

She was a contemporary of Pete Seeger, Lead Belly ,Harry Belafonte , The Staple Singers and the blues artists that were given more recognition in the 60’s : John Lee Hooker ,Mississippi John Hurt and Lightening Hopkins to name a few.

She found solace early in her life with blues , gospel and prison songs and as she stated in 1991:

“In the songs I heard … including prison songs,I found the sadness, the loneliness, the fear that I was feeling at the time. It turned my life around.” 

She conveyed the personal pride of Black Americans for their stories (and the experience of slavery and segregation) to be heard and presented to a mainstream audience (not without prejudice) -and that was her strength and significance in recording these traditional songs.

She summed up her music as:

“A history of us, (as it was) definitely not in our history books”

Seeing her powerful live stage presence in the small coffeehouses in Greenwich Village in New York in the 50’s and 60’s inspired countless future songwriters.

Her legacy and light influences artists to this day -I’m thinking of Rhiannon Giddens and Amythyst Kiah and “Songs of Our Native Daughters” - their collaborative folk album with two other North American singer-songwriters.

Odetta is significant and essential listening for anyone learning the true musical history of America.

More info here :

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/odetta-1930-2008/