Table of Contents
When did Odetta die?
December 2, 2008
Odetta/Date of death
In the late 1960s, she also married and divorced Gary Shead. In 1977, she married Iverson Minter, commonly known as “Louisiana Red.” On December 2, 2008 Odetta died of kidney disease and heart failure.
Did Odetta have any children?
She was married and divorced three times, to Don Gordon, Gary Shead and the blues musician Iverson Minter (Louisiana Red). She is survived by her adopted daughter Michelle Esrick.
How old is Odetta Holmes?
77 years (1930–2008)
Odetta/Age at death
She was 77. She was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City for a checkup in mid-November but went into kidney failure. She died there Tuesday of heart disease, her manager, Doug Yeager, told the Associated Press.
Who’s the queen of folk?
1 fan, and Martin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music.”…
| Odetta | |
|---|---|
| Died | December 2, 2008 (aged 77) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk, blues, spirituals |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, activist |
Who was Odetta influenced by?
An important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, she influenced many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, and Janis Joplin….
| Odetta | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, activist |
| Years active | 1944–2008 |
How old was Odetta when she passed away?
Odetta continued performing right up until almost the day of her death on December 2, 2008, at the age of 77. She had dreamed of performing at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, but tragically passed away just weeks before he took office.
What kind of voice did Odetta have?
She studied to be a classical singer in high school with the voice of a coloratura soprano. But then Odetta heard blues in Los Angeles and folk music in San Francisco, and very soon she was performing. Pete Seeger was already a legend when he heard her for the first time.
Where did Odetta go to high school and college?
Odetta was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she attended Belmont High School. She then studied music at Los Angeles City College while employed as a domestic worker.
What was the name of Odetta’s last album?
Odetta’s popularity waned after the 1960s, and she recorded only several more albums over the remaining four decades of her life. Her most prominent later works include Movin’ It On (1987), Blues Everywhere I Go (1999) and Looking for a Home (2001).