My dad took me to Ravinia to hear Odetta sing when I was a little boy and I could never get her voice out of my head. She is one powerful singer. Odetta Holmes was trained in Opera singing in high school and college in LA, but instead of going into Opera she sang backstage for a puppet theater in Hollywood. She sang folk songs and sang the Blues in San Fransisco and then appeared on television with Harry Belafonte in 1959.

I always enjoy a preamble like this to set the scene for a Three Tune Tuesday that is imminent. Great that you were introduced to Odetta at such a young age, what a powerhouse!