Tonight we went to The Riverside Memorial Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his historic anti-Vietnam War speech, to celebrate the life and music of Odetta (Dec. 31, 1930-Dec. 2, 2008). Among the speakers and musicians who paid tribute to the voice of the Civil Rights Movement were David Amram ("Amazing Grace"), Sweet Honey in the Rock ("God's Gonna Cut You Down"), Josh White Jr. ("Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out"), Dr. Maya Angelou (poem), Emory Joseph ("Keep on Movin' It On"), Wavy Gravy (comments), Peter Yarrow with his daughter and the Brooklyn Tech (H.S.) Choir ("Don't Laugh at Me"), Pete Seeger, Tom Chapin, Sonia Sanchez (comments), Harry Belefonte (comments), Bernice Reagan ("Goodnight Irene") and many people from Odetta's family and career.
I thought the highlights of the evening were the wonderful Maya Angelou and Tom Chapin, Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow, Josh White Jr., Emory Joseph, accompanied by David Amram doing "This Land is Your Land."
All in all it was a wonderful evening. I just wish it had not been for such a sad occasion.
Odetta goodnight, sweet princess.
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