Odetta

Odetta has died. As the obits point out, she was the voice of the civil rights movement. An amazing deep, thoaty, powerful voice. Her signature song, This Little Light o' Mine, remains our mantra as we strive for a more just society and find ourselves in situations that demand song. I had a single encounter with several years ago when I volunteered at a folk venue for weekly concerts. One Saturday night the legendary Odetta graced us. As she was preparing in the "green room" (a classroom off the main church sanctuary where the concerts were) the house manager went in and told her she'd be going on around 7:30-ish, after the opening act. Odetta pulled herself up to full attitude -- head high with the massively intimidating posture of a trained singer, and in full voice she said "I don't do 'ish'" -- a very Odetta(ish) moment.

Sad that she will not be able to serenade our next president at his inauguration – she was trying to last until January 20 for that. She will be tremendously missed. (See the great video piece the NYTimes did on her.)