Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches

Subject: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 05:55 PM

My guest Thursday (September 7) on Folk Roots/Folk Branches will be the legendary ODETTA, in a conversation recorded on August 25 several hours before her Montreal concert.

The Montreal Gazette review of that concert is currently available this link.

Odetta has been one of the most influential artists in folk music since the 1950s. During the conversation, we talk about her career, her influences and the making of "Blues Everywhere I Go," her acclaimed blues CD. Interspersed in the conversation will be Odetta recordings dating from 1957 to 1999.

Before and after Odetta, I'll be playing lots of great music from such artists as Jesse Fuller, Bessie Jones, Jimmy LaFave, Last Forever, Mollie O'Brien, David Rea, Claudia Schmidt, Richard Shindell, the Sons of the Never Wrong, James Talley, Ken Whiteley, Dar Williams and others.

I'm also going to be playing a version of "Railroad Bill" that is the only known recorded collaboration of Woody Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Sonny Terry.

Folk Roots/Folk Branches is on from 9-11:30 (eastern time) on Thursday mornings and can be heard over the air at 90.3 FM in Montreal and in RealAudio from the Folk Roots/Folk Branches web site.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:01 PM

Ooops, I did the link incorrectly for the Odetta review. This one should work.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:03 PM

Wow, that is wonderful, Mike!! I'll be sure to listen in, thanks for telling us!

kat

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 06:18 PM

WOW!! What a privilige! I have cleaned house for years using Odetta's energy! (among others) I will try to make time to get in and listen.

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Art Thieme
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 11:26 PM

Mike, In '59 my first love insisted I go to a concert by something called "an Odetta". I was enchanted by this ever so strong woman who filled the concert hall at the University of Illinois with so much music -- and only backed by one amazinly strummed/picked guitar. I opened a show for her later in the 60s sometime--the old QUIET KNIGHT folk club in Chicago I think. I doubt she'd remember, but do please give her my love !

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Alice
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 11:58 PM

I remember last winter hearing an interview of Odetta on National Public Radio. She talked about how she had studied classical singing and had planned on a career performing oratorio.... then she found folk music. With a capo and a few chords, she said, she found she could sing anything.

Our local public tv station airs old black and white Tennessee Ernie Ford shows. I was surfing the channels and came upon a performance of Odetta on his show. How wonderful, including the duet they did, and a bit of humor she ad-libbed. I don't remember the exact words of how this went, but he asked her where folk music came from, and (as the writers scripted) she said something like, well it comes from the prison chain gangs, and the workers in the fields, and where I get it is down the street at the sheet music store. The audience didn't seem to quite get the joke, and Ernie Ford said, Well, that's great, she made a joke about how she thought it would be greater than that.

What a wonderful lady, and what a great pleasure, I'm sure, for you to have her on your show!

Alice

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: ddw
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 12:21 AM

I met Odetta once — in late 1964 or early '65 in Tokyo. She had done a concert and I wanted to meet her and tell her what a great job she did. I was afraid I couldn't get backstage, but decided to just walk through like I belonged there and I guess the concert hall people didn't challenge me because my date and I were the only two non-Japanese in the place and they must have thought we did belong. Anyway, I was talking to her in the hallway when her guitarist on the tour — Bruce Langhorn — came up. She introduced us and, when I reached to shake his hand, realized he was missing the index and middle fingers on his right hand. I was stunned and even more admiring of his skills after that.

We wound up showing Odetta and Bruce where to find good food and music in Rappongi — the after-hours section of Tokyo — and had a marvelous time. Both of them were wonderfully warm and friendly. Good memories whenever I hear either one.

david

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 12:27 AM

With all the ravings about Odetta, let me throw in a quick rave for Mike who always has a well done and quality program to click on. Truthfully Mike I really do enjoy your programs. Your great knowledge and playlist make for the best combination on the web. Glad you come here too!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 07:13 AM

Thanks Spaw. I hope you were tuned in the day I played Rick Fielding doing "Catspaw's Rag."

Art,

Unfortunately, I can't pass on your regards. My interview with Odetta was taped when she was in Montreal on August 25.

There seems to be a lot of interest in the interview with Odetta, so the RealAudio server may reach capacity. I'd suggest logging on as early as possible in the show. WIth music, the segment with Odetta is an hour long and will probably begin sometime between 9:45 and 10:00 am (eastern time).

The show begins at 9:00 and the RealAudio feed is available from the Folk Roots/Folk Branches website.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 07:40 AM

On the A&E Biography of Bob Dylan, it was said that Dylan turned from rock and roll to folk music after hearing an Odetta album. They also said that he learned all of the songs off the album.

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 11:52 PM

And I remember hearing that Frank Hamilton, who comes here sometimes, taught Odetta to play guitar. That was through Dawn Geening in the early days of The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. About 1957 or '58.

Art

Subject: RE: Odetta on Folk Roots/Folk Branches
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 10:54 AM

Art,

Odetta began playing guitar in the 1940s and was playing professionally by 1949. I have a copy of her first album, which came out in 1954, and you can hear that her familiar playing style was already established by then. By 1958, she already had at least two more albums to her credit.

Mike Regenstreif