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 M.C. Records artist ODETTA was chosen to be one of the recipients of the 1999 National Medal of
the Arts presented by President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and the National Endowmentof the Arts. In addition to this very important medal of recognition. Odetta celebrates
her 50th anniversary in the Entertainment Business, the imminent release of Blues Everywhere I Go (her first studio album in 14 years with special guest Dr. John) on September 28, 1999, and is the sole
performer at this year's Amnesty International USA's Third Annual Media Spotlight Awards (to be held Sept. 27, 1999 in NYC).
The award was presented to Odetta and ten others
(including Aretha Franklin, Norman Lear and The Julliard School of the Performing Arts) on The South Lawn of the White House at 11:00am on Wednesday, September 29, 1999.
Odetta, the "Queen of American Folk Music," first started in show business in 1949 with the production of Finian's Rainbow. She rose to critical acclaim and popularity quickly, introducing
Americans and audiences worldwide to the power and dignity inherent in the stories that comprise American roots music and especially African-American folk, blues and gospel. As a major voice in
the American Civil Rights Movement, she marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, sang for the masses in Washington in 1963, and performed for President John F. Kennedy at a civil rights
presentation on national television.
Through her recordings on such eminent labels as Vanguard, RCA, and Verve and her innumerable
live appearances, an entire generation came to understand the seminal influence of "every man and woman's" struggle (and victory) in the formation of the American identity. Since then, she has
shared the stage with Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Marianne Anderson and Pete Seeger to name just a few of the luminaries. As Harry Belafonte once said, "Odetta is a vast influence on our
cultural life."
For more information, please contact Rey Roldan at Kathryn Schenker Associates at (212) 582-5400.
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