Musician. She was nicknamed "Libba" by the children of musician Charles Seeger, who was her employer; although she was Seeger's housekeeper, she became one of the premier guitarists of the 20th century. She taught herself how to play the guitar and banjo early in life. She married at 17 years of age and went to work doing various kinds of domestic work. Through the years, she played her guitar to entertain the children she babysat and for her own personal enjoyment. While working in the Seeger home in the 1950's, she was "discovered" and encouraged to perform in public. She performed at the Newport Folk Festival on many occasions throughout the 1950's, 60's, and 70's, as well as at many other venues. She performed at Carnegie Hall in 1978 and on the television show, "Austin City Limits," in 1979. Her album, "Elizabeth Cotten Live!" won her a Grammy Award in 1984. Elizabeth Cotten died at Crouse-Irving Hospital in Syracuse, New York in 1987. In 2022, Cotten was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Early Influence category.
Musician. She was nicknamed "Libba" by the children of musician Charles Seeger, who was her employer; although she was Seeger's housekeeper, she became one of the premier guitarists of the 20th century. She taught herself how to play the guitar and banjo early in life. She married at 17 years of age and went to work doing various kinds of domestic work. Through the years, she played her guitar to entertain the children she babysat and for her own personal enjoyment. While working in the Seeger home in the 1950's, she was "discovered" and encouraged to perform in public. She performed at the Newport Folk Festival on many occasions throughout the 1950's, 60's, and 70's, as well as at many other venues. She performed at Carnegie Hall in 1978 and on the television show, "Austin City Limits," in 1979. Her album, "Elizabeth Cotten Live!" won her a Grammy Award in 1984. Elizabeth Cotten died at Crouse-Irving Hospital in Syracuse, New York in 1987. In 2022, Cotten was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Early Influence category.
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