I had convinced myself that Odetaa would survive through January and the inauguration ~ her appearance there would have been just perfect. I suppose, now, that the prospect of such an event was literally "too good to be true"; I was shocked and saddened to read of her passing.

I was very surprised to read where Big Mick referred to Odetta as a "wee woman." I never encountered her up close in person, and always assumed she was big and tall. The sound of her recorded voice is, of course, huge, and her presence on the stage was absolutely imposing. It never occurred to be that she might be small in any way, even in the mostly-meaningless physical sense.

I got goosebumps reading through this thread, which doesn't happen very often.

Farewell, Odetta, Rest in Peace.