Odetta Was Known As "The Voice Of The Civil Rights Movement"! May She Rest In Peace!

This first video contains an interview with Odetta where she discusses her impact on the civil rights era as an activist.She was also a wonderful singer with a rich,deep baritone voice that was quite emotive. Odetta is singing,in the second video,on "The Johnny Cash Show". Her voice is absolutely breathtaking.Odetta moved on to a better place on Tuesday before she got to fulfill one final dream. Her final wish was to sing at Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan 20. Here's an excerpt from an obituary that was published in the NY Times:

"Odetta, the singer whose resonant voice wove together the strongest songs of American folk music and the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 77.

The cause was heart disease, her manager, Doug Yeager, said.

Odetta, who lived in Upper Manhattan, had been admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital three weeks ago with a number of ailments, including kidney trouble, Mr. Yeager said. In her last days, he said, she had been hoping to sing at the presidential inauguration for Barack Obama."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the entire obituary here:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/arts/music/03odetta.html?_r=1&hp