Unwicked

Elizabeth Cotten

I am desperately and eternally in love with Elizabeth Cotten.

This video shows her with Pete Seeger from his Rainbow Quest television program. I don’t remember seeing this show when I was a kid. I can’t imagine I would have sat still for it, though.

This song is back in my head thanks to a local performer. Matty Charles does a boisterous version of it. Hearing it done live again has refreshed my memory. I hadn’t listened to anything by Elizabeth Cotten in years. Thanks to Matty’s cover of “Freight Train,” my love affair with Libba and her music is back in full swing.

She played her guitar left-handed. Her style of playing was unique: Cotten picking, they called it. All I know is when I listen to her play a calm settles over me and her songs wiggle right into me and set up camp. Like a hot cup of cider on a cold day. Like a mother’s hug when you’ve landed hard. It’s hard to feel bad when I listen to Libba Cotten.