African American Folk Songs: Elizabeth Cotten

African American Folk Songs: Elizabeth Cotten | Heritage Mom

source: https://heritagemom.com/index.php/2020/02/21/african-americn-folk-songs-elizabeth-cotten/

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (1895-1987), best known for her timeless song "Freight Train," built her musical legacy on a firm foundation of late 19th- and early 20th-century African-American instrumental traditions. Through her songwriting, her quietly commanding personality, and her unique left-handed guitar and banjo styles, she inspired and influenced generations of younger artists. In 1984 Cotten was declared a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts and was later recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as a "living treasure." She received a Grammy Award in 1985 when she was ninety, almost eighty years after she first began composing her own works. [Source: Folkways]

We've been singing a lot of Elizabeth Cotton this year. We'll sing one of her songs, move on to something else, and then jump back into another one of her songs. They're simple to learn and fun to sing. I've even caught my preschooler humming her catchy tunes.

Musical selections:

We learned more about her life in this short Libba Cotton Documentary, and my friend turned me onto this sweet picture book, Libba, highlighting her life (Thanks, Betsy!).

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I hope your family enjoys these fun ditties as much as we have!

You can find me on Instagram @heritagemomblog. See you there!

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