In the first in-depth biography of Odetta, Ian Zack delves into the life of one of the most important cultural figures of the last hundred years. Tracing the legendary singer and activist's story from early childhood in deeply segregated Birmingham, Alabama, to her stardom and work on the front lines of the African American struggle against racism, Zack examines her iconic sound, which became an important part of the soundtrack to the protest movements of the 1950s and 1960s. Channeling anger and shame into her powerful music and her point expressions of black pride, Odetta inspired countless artists, like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Janis Joplin, Jewel, and Miley Cyrus. In this multifaceted, empathetic, and honest portrait, Zack brings Odetta back into the spotlight, reminding the world of the folk music that powered the civil rights movement and continues to influence us today. Book jacket.