''To Ella'' is an

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

by American folk singer

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

, released 1998 on Silverwolf Records. Recorded live at the

Kerrville Folk Festival The Kerrville Folk Festival is a music festival held for 18 consecutive days in the late spring/early summer at Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville, Texas. The Kerrville Folk Festival was founded in 1972 by the husband-wife team of Rod Kennedy ...

, it features traditional songs including "

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...

" and a 27-minute "Ancestors Suite" containing several songs. The album is dedicated to the memory of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

singer

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, who died in 1996 (although it does not contain any Ella Fitzgerald songs). The album was re-released twice in 2003, and, confusingly, the CDs had two different names: ''Odetta'' (also on Silverwolf Records) and ''American Folk Pioneer'' (American Legends).

Track listing

All songs Traditional unless otherwise noted. # "Black Woman" – 3:10 # " The Fox" – 2:44 # Suite: Ancestors: – 27:55 ##"900 Miles" ##"Red Clay Country" ## "Another Man Done Gone" (

Vera Hall Adell Hall Ward, better known as Vera Hall (April 6, 1902 – January 29, 1964) was an American folk singer, born in Livingston, Alabama. Best known for her 1937 song "Trouble So Hard", she was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame i ...

, Alan Lomax,

John Lomax John Avery Lomax (September 23, 1867 – January 26, 1948) was an American teacher, a pioneering musicologist, and a folklorist who did much for the preservation of American folk music. He was the father of Alan Lomax, John Lomax Jr. and Bess Lo ...

Ruby Pickens Tartt Ruby Pickens Tartt (January 13, 1880 - September 29, 1974) was a folklorist, writer, and painter who is best known today for her work helping to preserve Southern black culture by collecting the life histories, stories, lore, and songs of former ...

) ##"No More Cane on the Brazos" ##"Pretty Horses" ##" Poor Wayfarin' Stranger" ##"900 Miles (Reprise)" ##" Shenandoah" ##"Can't Keep from Cryin'" ##"Trouble" # "Ol' Lady Sally" – 1:03 # "

" (

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

) – 2:06

Personnel

*Odetta –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

References

External links

* "To Ella" on AllMusic* "Odetta (Silverwolf)"on AllMusic* "American Folk Music Pioneer" on AllMusic {{Ella Fitzgerald Odetta live albums Ella Fitzgerald tribute albums 1998 live albums