12016-05-26T11:38:53-07:00Day 2: Odetta5gallery2016-05-26T20:49:13-07:00Born on December 31, 1930 in Birmingham, Alabama, Odetta quickly became a music legend. She got her start by studying music at Los Angeles City College and performing in musical theater. But her passion was in singing the blues and folk music. She began to perform folk music onstage at age 19. Throughout her 50+ year career Odetta sang all around the world at coffeshops, nightclubs, prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, folk festivals, and protests such as the 1963 March on Washington. Odetta was also an actress, performing in films such as The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Sanctuary.
Odetta's influence on fellow artists is immeasurable. She has been cited as having an impact on Bob Dylan, Maya Angelou, Carly Simon, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Janis Joplin and others. Her impressive discography is filled with collaborations with musicians such as Harry Belafonte, Larry Moore, and Joan Baez. She continued to tour until just a few months before she passed away on December 2, 2008.