The Singer Who MLK Called the Queen of American Folk Music
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Thea Singer was one of the most popular and influential folk singers of her time. She was known for her beautiful voice and her commitment to social justice. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. once called her the “Queen of American Folk Music.”
Who is Odetta?
Odetta, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1930, is known as the Queen of American Folk Music. She began her musical career in the early 1950s, and by the mid-1950s, she was appearing on national television and radio programs. Odetta’s career took off in the 1960s when she began to perform at Carnegie Hall and the White House. In 1963, she was invited to sing at the March on Washington by Martin Luther King Jr.
Her Early Life
Odetta Holmes was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 31, 1930. Her father, Reuben Holmes, was a railroad porter and her mother, Anna Beatrice Holmes, was a housemaid. As a child, Odetta showed an early interest in music and could often be found singing around the house. When she was six years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California.
In 1949, Odetta began attending Los Angeles City College with the intention of becoming a teacher. However, she soon became more interested in music and decided to pursue a career as a singer. She began performing at local clubs and quickly developed a reputation as a talented performer. In 1950, she met Larry Mohr, a folk musician who would later become her first husband. Together, they began performing at coffeehouses and clubs around Los Angeles.
Her Career
Odetta Holmes, or simply Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a civil and human rights activist, often referred to as “The Queen of American Folk Music”. She began her career in 1936 as a member of the Los Angeles-based Greystone Singers. After going solo in 1949, she became one of the most prominent folk musicians of her era and influenced several generations of singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman. A childhood illness left her with a limp and partial paralysis; nonetheless, she taught herself to play guitar and went on to have a successful career that spanned over five decades.
Odetta and the Civil Rights Movement
Odetta was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 31, 1930, but her family moved to Los Angeles, California, when she was six years old. It was there that she began to develop her love for music and the guitar. In the late 1940s, she moved to New York City to pursue her career as a folk singer.
Her Involvement
Odetta Holmes, professionally known as Odetta, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, guitarist, and a civil and human rights activist. Although she did not consider herself a folk singer, she is often referred to as the “Queen of American Folk Music”. Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals. She was influenced by such musicians as Lead Belly and Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter. On January 1, 1961, Odetta appeared alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the Civil Rights March on Washington D.C., where King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Her Influence
Odetta Holmes, known to her fans as Odetta, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, guitarist, and one of the major voices of the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A civil rights activist, she was nicknamed the “Queen of American Folk Music” by Martin Luther King Jr.
Her repertoire ranged from traditional folk songs and blues to rousing labor anthems and historic ballads; she performed everything from spirituals to works by lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Harold Arlen, Kurt Weill, and California’s own Tom Waits. In 1957 she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, sharing the bill with Elvis Presley; in 1963 she sang at the March on Washington alongside performers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul & Mary.
Odetta’s career spanned more than four decades and included acting roles in film and television; she acted in everything from Stanley Kramer’s controversial 1961 film Judgment at Nuremberg to episodes of popular television shows like have Gun Will Travel andRoute 66. In 1999 Odetta was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton.
Odetta’s Legacy
Odetta, who passed away in 2008, was a singer, songwriter, and actress who was an important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. Odetta was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and began her career as a folk singer in the mid-1950s. She became known for her distinctive voice and powerful renditions of traditional songs. In addition to her work as a folk singer, Odetta was also an outspoken civil rights activist. She was a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., and she performed at the 1963 March on Washington.
Her Music
Odetta’s music was rooted in the folk and blues traditions of the Deep South, which she absorbed while growing up in Birmingham, Alabama. The experience of listening to work songs while picking cotton as a child had a profound effect on her, and she would later tell interviewers that she felt a sense of connection to the slaves who created this music. “The only time I ever felt really free was when I was singing,” she said.
Odetta’s vocal style was earthy and soulful, with a touch of gospel flair. folk songs like “The House of the Rising Sun” and “Midnight Special,” which she recorded for her debut album in 1956, displayed her mastery of the genre. But it was her interpretation of traditional songs like “Greensleeves” and “John Henry” that earned her the title of “Queen of American Folk Music” from Martin Luther King Jr.
Her Impact
Odetta’s career spanned more than 50 years, and she inspired several generations of singers, including Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Harry Belafonte, Tracy Chapman, Mavis Staples, and Nina Simone. She was an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement and often performed at benefits and marches, including the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. She was also friends with Martin Luther King Jr., who once called her “the queen of American folk music.”
In 1999, Odetta was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. The citation read: “For her influence on the evolution of American folk music and her commitment to social justice.” Her recordings were added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2006.
