Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (1895-1987) - Shake Sugaree

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1895 June 29, 1987)

This is Elizabeth Cotten on guitar with her then, 14 year old granddaughter, Brenda Evans providing the vocal.

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1895 June 29, 1987) was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cotten

"Self-taught and having no knowledge of conventional guitar tunings (e.g. standard 'EADGBE' tuning or any established open tunings), Cotten developed her own original style. Her approach to left-handed guitar playing involved keeping the guitar in standard tuning but holding it upside down. This position required her to play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature, alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking"."

Thank you, Libba

Snaps

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Shake
• Sugaree
• Elizabeth
• Cotten
• Brenda
• Evans
• Blues
• Folk

[solance66]

This is amazing. Is there more recordings like this (with Cotten's grand daughter singing)?

[synapsecracklepop]

@solance66 "Jesus Lifted Me"

[MrShamanman]

could someone please let me know if it is true that elizabeth cotten used to clean pete seegers house? also is it true that she did her first gig at the age of 65? this is just what ive heard (could be bollox)

[synapsecracklepop]

@MrShamanman it's true, she was the Seeger Family Housekeeper. Although she wrote "Freight Train" and other wonderful songs at a very young age, she was "discovered" by Uncle Pete. One can't say "rediscovered" because she had no previous career, unlike many of the bluesmen made famous in modern times during the 60s blues revival.

[RayBeckerman]

@synapsecracklepop It wasn't Pete Seeger's house, it was his sister's house

[synapsecracklepop]

@RayBeckerman I stand corrected. Thanks for chiming in, Ray. ;--))

[arjhendrix]

ow ow ow Libba sis,

M John Hurt cant compete with yar 40 yr break. what a lady. (800 words)

Blues Mama - always nurtured, had a hard hard hard life but went through it calmly with dignity AND a grt sense of humour. liked to play a guitar too. etc.

wow. grt vocals and i kept putting the 'crackle' on the vocal. is there any with her singing? hey i likes Brenda's vocal...she done made me cry too.

thank you

[synapsecracklepop]

@exdiva46 that information is in the text description

[jessebreuer]

Check out the cover by Mary Flower

[sucklingpiglet]

so nice of a song and voice!

[ratbert77]

Great old song - loved it when I first heard it by Fred Neil - now I have 2 great versions.

[NIBIRUROCK]

one of my favorite songs:)



[Infamissus]

I love this. I also like Willy DeVille's version. Can't go wrong with a great song.



[smobstar]

Just "happened" upon this....I'm honered.

[heathbar67]

So, I'm dilly dallying through YouTube tonight and I just "happen upon" this song for the first time in my 43 years. This is is gift from God.

[ChibaFish]

everything about this is so pure. lovely.