Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten, born on January 5, 1893, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was an influential American folk and blues musician. She taught herself to sing and play the guitar, and her fingerpicking style left an profound mark on the folk music genre. At a young age, Libba Cotten learned to play her brother's guitar. She played it upside-down and left-handed, which meant she tended to play the melody with her thumb and the bass line with her other fingers. Cotten's musical talent remained "unknown" until Charles and Ruth Crawford Seeger employed her as a housekeeper and nanny in 1940s Washington D.C. In 1958, Libba Cotten released her first album, Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar (first released as Elizabeth Cotten: Negro Folk Songs and Tunes), which featured the iconic "Freight Train." The album gained recognition and earned her a loyal following, bringing her newfound fame within the folk music community.
I was always the leader, and they’d play like my brother played: behind me.
Throughout the 1960s and after, Libba Cotten's music gained popularity with and appreciation from younger audiences. Her fingerpicking style, known as "Cotten picking," influenced many musicians, including Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, Taj Mahal, Jerry Garcia, Joan Baez, and Doc Watson, and others.
Despite her late entry into professional music, Libba Cotten's immense talent and authenticity earned her acclaim throughout her autumnal career. For example, in 1984 Cotten received a Grammy Award for her album Elizabeth Cotten Live! for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.
Elizabeth Cotten - "Freight Train"
Making up for lost time after her late start, Libba Cotten continued to perform and share her music with audiences around the world. Her recordings and innovative guitar technique remain influential today. Cotten passed away on June 29, 1987, but her recordings still sound vital and inventive to this day.