In Memoriam - Odetta

The Associated Press reports:

Odetta, the folk singer with the powerful voice who moved audiences and influenced fellow musicians for a half-century, has died. She was 77.

Odetta died Tuesday of heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital, said her manager of 12 years, Doug Yeager. She was admitted to the hospital with kidney failure about three weeks ago, he said.

In spite of failing health that caused her to use a wheelchair, Odetta performed 60 concerts in the last two years, singing for 90 minutes at a time. Her singing ability never diminished, Yeager said.

"The power would just come out of her like people wouldn't believe," he said.

With her booming, classically trained voice and spare guitar, Odetta gave life to the songs by workingmen and slaves, farmers and miners, housewives and washerwomen, blacks and whites.

Tavis Smiley interviewed Odetta last January and had this to say:

Called one of the great treasures of American music, musical activist Odetta has influenced such artists as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Joan Baez. Since her '54 debut album, she's toured the world telling stories of America's southern experience in her songs. The Birmingham (AL) native sang at the March on Washington in '63, marched with Dr. King in Selma and protested against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. In '03, the Library of Congress honored the Grammy-nominated artist with its rare "Living Legend Award."

Listen to the interview here.