# Odetta faces being The (Tin) Angel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313 "2008-11-18T17:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/1 "2008-11-18T17:49:04Z")
I’ve just heard on the radio that the great folk-singer [Odetta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odetta) has been hospitalised for kidney failure ([link](http://www.livedaily.com/blog/2918.html)). She is ‘determined to perform at Barack Obama’s Inauguration in January’. She’ll turn 78 on New Year’s Eve. _The Tin Angel_, which is on my iPod, was recorded between 1953 and 1954. For whatever reason, _The Car-Car Song_ pops into my head from time to time; and _I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago/The Biggest Thing_ does too. And _The Frozen Logger_. The album consists of old standard folk tunes and spirituals, so it’s a bit different from later works by the likes of Peter, Paul & Mary, for example. Odetta has a powerful voice, and you can really hear her getting into thos old spirituals. It will be sad to see her go. I hope she does live to perform at Obama’s inaugration. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/2 "2008-11-18T17:55:52Z")
Just saw her on PBS a week or two ago, in a (fairly) recent performance – what an amazing voice she has. **sends out good vibes to an amazing woman who shares my birthday** ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/3 "2008-11-18T23:34:32Z")
Considering her involvement in the Civil Rights movement, performing at the Inaguration is only fitting and fair. If she doesn’t make it, she’ll have been robbed. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/4 "2008-11-18T23:50:34Z")
I saw her perform live here in town earlier this year. She’s a tiny shrunken little lady who was in a wheelchair the whole show with a beautiful spirit and a powerful voice. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/5 "2008-11-19T03:27:46Z")
I’d heard that she’s been performing from a wheelchair, but I haven’t seen any photos. I always picture her as being rather robust, as in the photos from 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/6 "2008-12-03T13:41:48Z")
Alas, she’s not going to make the Inauguration. [Obit](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081203/ap_en_mu/obit_odetta) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/7 "2008-12-03T15:51:54Z")
I heard this on NPR this morning on the drive in. Damn, I wish she could have helpd out just another month and a half. She deserved to sing the Innaguration. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/8 "2008-12-04T13:54:12Z")
Damn. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/9 "2008-12-04T18:12:23Z")
R.I.P. Love, A fan. PS: You were the real Nina Simone. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/10 "2008-12-04T21:29:30Z")
What a terrible loss. I am so glad that I got to see what ended up being one of her last performances. She is the reason that Bob Dylan bought his first acoustic guitar. Her influence will be around for generations. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odetta-faces-being-the-tin-angel/473313/11 "2008-12-04T21:31:55Z")
R.I.P., Odetta. I’ve loved you for just about my whole life.