Odetta Holmes (3,309 views)

[BAZanine]

Odetta Holmes (31 December 1930 - 2 December 2008)
Years Active: 1944 - 2008
Vocal Range: G2 - B5

Significant High Notes:

B5 ("Blues Medley" live on The Johnny Cash Show 1969)
A5 ("Suite: Ancestors")
G5 ("Blues Improv" live with Joan Baez, "Suite: Ancestors")
F♯5 ("Ain't No Grave", "Black Woman", "Froggy Went a-Courtin'")
E5 ("Baby, I'm in the Mood for You", "Hear Me Talking to You", "Looky Yonder", "Movin' It On", "Sea Lion Woman", "Wayfarin' Stranger")
E♭5 ("Ain't No Grave", "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor", "New Orleans")
D5 ("Blues Improv" live with Joan Baez, "Every Night", "The Fox" live, To Ella, "It's a Mighty World", "Please Send Me Someone to Love", "Suite: Ancestors", "Take Me to the Pilot")
C♯5 ("Black Woman", "Cool Water", "Got My Mind on Freedom", "Hit or Miss", "Look the World Over", "Reminiscing", "Trouble Everywhere / I've Been Living With the Blues", "W.P.A. Blues")
C5 ("Bald Headed Woman", "Beautiful Star" 1987 version, "Empty Pocket Blues", "Froggy Went a-Courtin'", "Glory, Glory" live Garrison Institute 2008, "Hard, Oh Lord", "Lo & Behold", "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor", "Misery Blues", "Movin' It On", "Ol' Lady Sally", "Poor Man", "Rambler Gambler", "Roberta" Looking for a Home version, "Sea Lion Woman", "Stranger Here")
B4 ("Ain't No Grave", "Alabama Bound", "Amazing Grace", "Anthem of the Rainbow", "Beautiful Star", "Bless the Children", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "Easy Rider", "Every Night", "Greensleeves", "Hogan's Alley", "How Long Blues", "Hush Hush Mamie", "If Anybody Asks You", "Lo & Behold", "Looky Yonder", "Mama Told Me Not to Come", "Midnight Special" Looking for a Home version, "Moses, Moses", "My God and I", "Paths of Victory", "Payday at Coal Creek", "Please Send Me Someone to Love", "Sail Away Ladies", "Special Delivery Blues", "Sun's Comin' Up", "Sweet Potatoes", "Take Me to the Pilot", "Take This Hammer", "This Little Light of Mine", "Three Pigs", "Water Boy" CBS 1959, "Yes I See", "You Gotta Know How")
B♭4 ("Ain't That a-Rockin'" 1987 version, "Alabama Bound", "Bald Headed Woman", "Believe I'll Go", "Cool Water", "Glory, Glory", "Hard, Oh Lord", "House of the Rising Sun", "I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain / Water Boy", "I've Been Living With the Blues", "I've Been Told", "Maybe She Go", "Misery Blues", "Oh, Papa" Blues Everywhere I Go version, "One Man's Hands", "Rambler Gambler", "Reminiscing", "Run, Come See Jerusalem", "Santy Anno", "Shout for Joy" 1987 version, "Special Delivery Blues", "Suite: Ancestors", "Timber", "Unemployment Blues", "What Month Was Jesus Born In?")
A4 ("Alabama Bound", "Amazing Grace", "Baby, I'm in the Mood for You", "Be My Woman", "Bless the Children", "Blowin' in the Wind", "The Boll Weevil", "Boy", "'Buked and Scorned" Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues version, "Bull Jine Run", "Darlin' Baby", "Deep Blue Sea", "Deep River", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "Easy Rider", "Four Marys", "Give a Damn", "Gonna Take My Time", "Goodnight Irene", "Greensleeves", "Hit or Miss", "Homeless Blues", "Hound Dog", "It's a Mighty World", "Jack o' Diamonds", "Love Proved False", "Motherless Children", "Muleskinner Blues", "My God and I", "New Orleans", "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out", "O Jerusalem", "Oh, Papa", "One Grain of Sand", "One Man's Hands", "Rich Man Blues", "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow", "Roberta" Looking for a Home version, "Rock Island Line", "Roll on Buddy", "Run, Come See Jerusalem", "Sail Away Ladies", "She Moved Through the Fair", "Shout for Joy", "Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go With Me / I'm on My Way", "This Little Light of Mine", "Trouble Everywhere / I've Been Living With the Blues", "Troubled", "Water Boy", "Wayfarin' Stranger", "You Gotta Know How")
G♯4 ("Beautiful Star", "Been in the Pen", "Believe I'll Go", "'Buked and Scorned", "Children, Go Where I Send Thee", "Chilly Winds", "Devilish Mary", "The Fox", "Gallows Tree (Gallows Pole)", "Glory, Glory", "Go Down Sunshine", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "Got My Mind on Freedom", "Great Historical Bum", "Hear Me Talking to You", "Hogan's Alley", "Hound Dog", "Hush Hush Mamie", "I Just Can't Keep from Cryin'", "If I Had Wings", "Long Ago, Far Away", "Mama Told Me Not to Come", "Maybe She Go", "Oh, My Babe", "Payday at Coal Creek", "Poor Little Jesus" 1960 version, "Rambling Round Your City", "Saro Jane", "Santy Anno", "Stranger Here", "Sun's Comin' Up", "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", "Virgin Mary Had One Son", "Walkin' Down the Line", "Weeping Willow Blues", "What Month Was Jesus Born In?", "Why Oh Why")
G4 ("900 Miles", "Ain't That a-Rockin'", "Another Man Done Gone", "Anthem of the Rainbow", "Blowin' in the Wind", "Bourgeois Blues", "Boy", "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies", "Dink's Blues", "The Foggy Dew", "God's Gonna Cut You Down", "Gonna Take My Time", "How Long", "How Long Blues", "If I Had a Ribbon Bow", "I've Been Told", "Joshua", "Lass of the Low Country", "Leavin' This Morning", "Long Ago, Far Away", "Look the World Over", "Midnight Special", "Moses, Moses", "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Muleskinner Blues", "No More Cane on the Brazos" My Eyes Have Seen version, "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out", "Old Smoky", "Poor Man", "Roberta", "Shenandoah", "Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go With Me / I'm on My Way", "Take This Hammer", "Unemployment Blues", "With God on Our Side", "Yes I See")
F♯4 ("All My Trials", "All the Pretty Little Horses", "Bald Headed Woman", "Be My Woman", "Been in the Pen", "Blues Everywhere I Go", "'Buked and Scorned", "Careless Love / St. Louis Blues", "Dark as a Dungeon", "Deep River", "Deportee", "Down on Me", "Four Marys", "The Golden Vanity", "Great Historical Bum", "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", "Homeless Blues", "Jack o' Diamonds", "John Henry", "Katy Cruel", "Love Proved False", "Lowlands", "No Expectations", "No More Cane on the Brazos", "Old Cotton Fields at Home" One Grain of Sand version, "Old Smoky", "Paths of Victory", "Rambling Round Your City", "Rock Island Line", "Saro Jane", "Shout for Joy", "Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go With Me / I'm on My Way", "Troubled", "Weeping Willow Blues", "When I Was a Cowboy")

Significant Low Notes:

A3 ("Bless the Children", "Blowin' in the Wind", "Blues Everywhere I Go", "The Boll Weevil", "Can't Afford to Lose My Man", "Come a Lady's Dream", "Dark as a Dungeon", "Darlin' Baby", "Four Marys", "Gallows Tree (Gallows Pole)", "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", "Hit or Miss", "I Know Where I'm Going", "If I Had a Ribbon Bow", "Katy Cruel", "Lass of the Low Country", "Looky Yonder", "Love Proved False", "Lowlands", "Midnight Special", "Motherless Children", "O Jerusalem", "One Man's Hands", "Poor Man", "Rich Man Blues", "Riding in My Car (Car Song)", "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow", "Roll on Buddy", "Shame and Scandal", "She Moved Through the Fair", "This Little Light of Mine", "Water Boy", "Wayfarin' Stranger")
G♯3 ("Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Beautiful Star", "Believe I'll Go", "Bless the Children", "Children, Go Where I Send Thee", "Chilly Winds", "Devilish Mary", "Empty Pocket Blues", "The Fox", "Glory, Glory", "Go Down Sunshine", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "Got My Mind on Freedom", "Great Historical Bum", "Greensleeves", "Hard, Oh Lord", "Hogan's Alley", "I Just Can't Keep from Cryin'", "If I Had Wings", "Leavin' This Morning", "Oh, My Babe", "Old Cotton Fields at Home", "One Grain of Sand", "Pastures of Plenty", "Paths of Victory", "Poor Little Jesus", "Rambler Gambler", "Reminiscing", "Saro Jane", "Somebody's Talking 'Bout Jesus", "Stranger Here", "Three Pigs", "Timber", "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", "Virgin Mary Had One Son", "Walkin' Down the Line", "Yonder Come the Blues")
G3 ("900 Miles", "Alabama Bound", "Anathea", "Boy", "'Buked and Scorned", "Bull Jine Run", "Camphorated Oil", "Come a Lady's Dream", "Dink's Blues", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "Every Night", "Rock Island Line" Looking for a Home version, "How Long Blues", "Hush Little Baby", "I Never Will Marry", "I've Been Living With the Blues", "I've Been Told", "Joshua", "Midnight Special", "Misery Blues", "Moses, Moses", "Motherless Children", "Movin' It On", "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Muleskinner Blues", "My God and I", "New Orleans", "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out", "Oh, Papa", "Ol' Lady Sally", "One Man's Hands", "Please Send Me Someone to Love", "Run, Come See Jerusalem", "Sea Lion Woman", "Shenandoah", "Special Delivery Blues", "Suite: Ancestors", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", "Wayfarin' Stranger", "What Month Was Jesus Born In?", "Yes I See")
F♯3 ("Ain't No Grave", "All My Trials", "All the Pretty Little Horses", "Baby, I'm in the Mood for You", "Beautiful Star", "Been in the Pen", "Bless the Children", "Darlin' Baby", "Deep River", "Deportee", "Down on Me", "The Frozen Logger", "Give a Damn", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "Going Home", "The Golden Vanity", "Hogan's Alley", "Homeless Blues", "Hound Dog", "I Never Will Marry", "I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago / The Biggest Thing", "Jack o' Diamonds", "John Henry", "Katy Cruel", "Lo & Behold", "Love Proved False", "Maybe She Go", "Midnight Special" Looking for a Home version, "No Expectations", "No More Cane on the Brazos", "Old Smoky", "Paths of Victory", "Payday at Coal Creek", "Poor Little Jesus", "Saro Jane", "Shout for Joy", "Special Delivery Blues" One Grain of Sand version, "Troubled", "Walkin' Down the Line", "Weeping Willow Blues", "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" 1987 version, "When I Was a Cowboy", "W.P.A. Blues")
F3 ("900 Miles", "Ain't That a-Rockin'", "Anathea", "Another Man Done Gone", "Bald Headed Woman", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Believe I'll Go", "Bourgeois Blues", "Boy", "'Buked and Scorned", "Children, Go Where I Send Thee", "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies", "Easy Rider" Looking for a Home version, "Gallows Tree (Gallows Pole)", "Go Down Sunshine", "God's Gonna Cut You Down", "Goodnight Irene", "House of the Rising Sun", "I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain / Water Boy", "I've Been Living With the Blues", "Jim Crow Blues", "Joshua", "Jumpin' Judy", "Long Time Gone", "Movin' It On", "Muleskinner Blues", "Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out", "Oh, My Babe", "Oh, Papa" Blues Everywhere I Go version, "Old Cotton Fields at Home" One Grain of Sand version, "Ox Driver Song", "Pastures of Plenty", "Santy Anno", "Stranger Here", "TB Blues", "This Land", "Timber", "Unemployment Blues", "Why Oh Why", "Yes I See")
E3 ("Baby, I'm in the Mood for You", "Blowin' in the Wind", "Blues Improv" live with Joan Baez, "The Boll Weevil", "Bull Jine Run", "Camphorated Oil", "Can't Afford to Lose My Man", "Careless Love / St. Louis Blues", "Deep River", "Deportee", "Every Night", "The Foggy Dew", "Froggy Went a-Courtin'", "The Frozen Logger", "Going Home", "Hear Me Talking to You", "I Know Where I'm Going", "In the Pines", "Julie Ann Johnson / Whoa Black Buck", "Lass of the Low Country", "Long Ago, Far Away", "Masters of War", "Maybe She Go" Odetta Sings Folk Songs version, "Mother's Blues (Little Children Blues)", "Mr. Tambourine Man", "My God and I", "New Orleans", "No More Cane on the Brazos", "O Jerusalem", "Old Smoky", "One Grain of Sand", "Payday at Coal Creek", "Rich Man Blues", "Riding in My Car (Car Song)", "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow", "Roberta", "Sea Lion Woman", "Shame and Scandal", "Shenandoah", "Shout for Joy", "Sun's Comin' Up", "Three Pigs", "Trouble Everywhere / I've Been Living With the Blues", "Troubled", "Water Boy", "W.P.A. Blues")
E♭3 ("Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies", "Devilish Mary", "Down on Me", "Empty Pocket Blues", "The Fox", "The Golden Vanity", "I Just Can't Keep from Cryin'", "If I Had Wings", "John Henry", "Julie Ann Johnson / Whoa Black Buck", "Long Time Gone", "Look the World Over", "No More Cane on the Brazos" My Eyes Have Seen version, "O Jerusalem" 1987 version, "Somebody's Talking 'Bout Jesus", "TB Blues", "With God on Our Side")
D3 ("Alabama Bound / Boll Weevil", "Bald Headed Woman", "Be My Woman", "Blues Everywhere I Go", "Blues Improv" live with Joan Baez, "Careless Love / St. Louis Blues", "Chevrolet", "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" 1987 version, "Dark as a Dungeon", "Dink's Blues", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "The Foggy Dew", "The Fox" live, To Ella, "Give a Damn", "God's Gonna Cut You Down", "House of the Rising Sun" live, "How Long", "In the Pines", "I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain / Water Boy", "Jumpin' Judy", "Lowlands", "Masters of War", "Moses, Moses", "No Expectations", "Oh, Papa" Blues Everywhere I Go version, "Poor Little Jesus" 1987 version, "Roberta", "Somebody's Talking 'Bout Jesus" 1987 version, "Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go With Me / I'm on My Way", "Suite: Ancestors", "Sun's Comin' Up", "Trouble Everywhere / I've Been Living With the Blues", "You Don't Know My Mind", "You Gotta Know How")
C♯3 ("Another Man Done Gone", "Black Woman", "Lo & Behold", "Mary Had a Baby", "Virgin Mary Had One Son")
C3 ("Ballad for Americans", "Bourgeois Blues", "Easy Rider" Looking for a Home version, "Goodnight Irene", "How Long Blues", "Roberta" Looking for a Home version, "Rock Island Line" Looking for a Home version, "Unemployment Blues")
B2 ("Froggy Went a-Courtin'", "How Long", "If I Had a Ribbon Bow", "Mary Had a Baby", "Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go With Me / I'm on My Way", "Suite: Ancestors", "When I Was a Cowboy")
B♭2 ("Ballad for Americans", "Look the World Over")
A2 ("Black Woman", "Hear Me Talking to You", "Homeless Blues", "Mary Had a Baby" 1987 version, "You Don't Know My Mind", "You Gotta Know How")
G2 ("Mother's Blues (Little Children Blues)", "Suite: Ancestors")

………………………………………………………………...
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}A5 ("Ox Driver Song"^[3])
G♯5 ("Black Woman"^[1], "The Fox"^[3], "Riding in My Car (Car Song)"^[3])
F♯5 ("John Henry"^[1])

C3 ("Shout for Joy" 1987 version^[1])
B2 ("No Expectations"^[5], "One Man's Hands"^[1], "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" 1987 version^[1])
B♭2 ("Easy Rider" Looking for a Home version^[1])
A2 ("Go Tell It on the Mountain" 1987 version^[1], "Roberta" Looking for a Home version^[1])
F♯2 ("Mary Had a Baby" 1987 version^[1])
E2 ("Suite: Ancestors"^[1])

.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Album Ranges}The Tin Angel (1954) (E♭3 - B♭4)
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) (B2 - B4)
At the Gate of Horn (1957) (D3 - B4)
My Eyes Have Seen (1959) (D3 - C5)
Ballad for Americans and Other American Ballads (1960) (B♭2 - B4)
Christmas Spirituals (1960) (B2 - B4)
Odetta and the Blues (1962) (C3 - E♭5)
Sometimes I Feel Like Cryin' (1962) (D3 - C5)
One Grain of Sand (1963) (D3 - F♯5)
Odetta Sings Folk Songs (1963) (D3 - B4)
It's a Mighty World (1964) (D3 - D5)
Odetta Sings of Many Things (1964) (B2 - F♯5)
Odetta Sings Dylan (1965) (D3 - B4)
Odetta (1967) - Unavailable
Odetta Sings (1970) (C♯3 - E5)
Christmas Spirituals (1987) (A2 - C5)
To Ella (1998) (G2 - A5)
Blues Everywhere I Go (1999) (A2 - E5)
Looking for a Home (2001) (G2 - E♭5)

[sophiam122]

Is she a true contralto?

[kaji]

Feb 23, 2021 22:33:01 GMT sophiam122 said:

Is she a true contralto?

Who cares

[rtim]

I don't if it wasn't available when you first work on this thread but I notice there is a missing album, Odetta In Japan . 

One thing that makes this noteworthy is she sings a Min'yō song (Sakura) and a Kayōkyoku song (Kaeshite Okure Ima Suguni)