Elizabeth Libba Cotten - Search Videos

Thinking of the legendary Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, born on this day in North Carolina in 1893. Her self-taught, left-handed guitar playing (on a guitar strung for a right-handed guitarist), which required her to play the instrument upside-down, became known as “Cotten picking.” Per @npr, “her influence has reverberated through the generations, permeating every genre of music. Here she is in 1980, speaking to an audience of college students & playing “Graduation March” with Mike Seeger. Thank yo

Thinking of the legendary Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, born on this day in North Carolina in 1893. Her self-taught, left-handed guitar playing (on a guitar strung for a right-handed guitarist), which required her to play the instrument upside-down, became known as “Cotten picking.” Per @npr, “her influence has reverberated through the generations, permeating every genre of music. Here she is in 1980, speaking to an audience of college students & playing “Graduation March” with Mike Seeger. Thank yo

16.9K viewsJan 6, 2025

FacebookPittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten was born on this day in 1893. Through her songwriting and unique left-handed, upside-down playing style on guitar and banjo, Cotten has influenced generations of musicians. Here she performs her classic “Freight Train” at the Seeger family home in 1957. Cotten wrote the song as a teenager, inspired by the train sounds near her home in Carrboro, North Carolina. It appeared on her 1958 debut album, Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar, released on Folkways Records and l

Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten was born on this day in 1893. Through her songwriting and unique left-handed, upside-down playing style on guitar and banjo, Cotten has influenced generations of musicians. Here she performs her classic “Freight Train” at the Seeger family home in 1957. Cotten wrote the song as a teenager, inspired by the train sounds near her home in Carrboro, North Carolina. It appeared on her 1958 debut album, Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar, released on Folkways Records and l

50.9K viewsJan 5, 2024

FacebookSmithsonian Folkways Recordings

Remembering Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) She was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter. A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. She played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down, as she was left-handed. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking".

Remembering Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) She was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter. A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. She played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down, as she was left-handed. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking".

81.6K viewsJan 5, 2023

FacebookDime Store Radio

Remembering Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) She was an influential American folk and blues musician. A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. She played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down, as she was left-handed. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking".(Wiki) #eliz

Remembering Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) She was an influential American folk and blues musician. A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. She played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down, as she was left-handed. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking".(Wiki) #eliz

51.4K viewsJan 5, 2025

FacebookDime Store Radio

I love you Ms. Libba💐 • @americansongcatcher Rainbow Quest Tuesdays // Elizabeth Cotten Elizabeth, or “Libba,” was left-handed, so to make the guitar and banjo easier, she just turned them upside down. This positioning created her own method of playing the bass strings with her fingers, and the melody with her thumb - eventually becoming widely known as “Cotten picking.” In her early teens, she was already writing her own songs, such as her most recognized, “Freight Train.” She married Frank Co

I love you Ms. Libba💐 • @americansongcatcher Rainbow Quest Tuesdays // Elizabeth Cotten Elizabeth, or “Libba,” was left-handed, so to make the guitar and banjo easier, she just turned them upside down. This positioning created her own method of playing the bass strings with her fingers, and the melody with her thumb - eventually becoming widely known as “Cotten picking.” In her early teens, she was already writing her own songs, such as her most recognized, “Freight Train.” She married Frank Co

295.8K viewsApr 25, 2023

FacebookCAT POWER

Visiting Elizabeth Cotten’s 1935 Martin D28 at The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. “Libba” Cotten is one of the pioneering female guitarists I featured in my latest album, ONE GUITAR WOMAN. Her story is so cool, as she didn’t start playing professionally until she was 57 years old. She played left-handed, upside down, and she wrote some of the finest folk songs in the history of American Music. Her guitar style, Piedmont fingerpicking, is challenging to learn, but really fun to play once y

Visiting Elizabeth Cotten’s 1935 Martin D28 at The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. “Libba” Cotten is one of the pioneering female guitarists I featured in my latest album, ONE GUITAR WOMAN. Her story is so cool, as she didn’t start playing professionally until she was 57 years old. She played left-handed, upside down, and she wrote some of the finest folk songs in the history of American Music. Her guitar style, Piedmont fingerpicking, is challenging to learn, but really fun to play once y

38.5K viewsSep 13, 2024

FacebookSue Foley

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was a self-taught musical prodigy who created a unique legacy in American folk and blues. A left-hander playing a right-handed guitar upside down, she developed the "Cotten picking" style—using her thumb for melody and fingers for bass. At just 11 years old, she wrote the timeless classic "Freight Train," inspired by the trains near her North Carolina home. After decades away from music to raise a family, she was "rediscovered" in her 60s while working for the Seeger fam

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was a self-taught musical prodigy who created a unique legacy in American folk and blues. A left-hander playing a right-handed guitar upside down, she developed the "Cotten picking" style—using her thumb for melody and fingers for bass. At just 11 years old, she wrote the timeless classic "Freight Train," inspired by the trains near her North Carolina home. After decades away from music to raise a family, she was "rediscovered" in her 60s while working for the Seeger fam

262 views3 months ago

FacebookA Gift that Lasts

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten: "Freight Train" (1958)

575 views5 months ago

YouTubeAnnie Van Auken

Born on January 5th of 1896, Elizabeth ‘Libba’ Cotten wrote the song ‘Freight Train’ at the age of twelve. https://www.allaboutbluesmusic.com/elizabeth-libba-cotten/ She would find global fame after being recorded by the Seeger family (for whom she worked as a nurse) in the 1950s. | All About Blues Music

7.4K viewsDec 31, 2021

FacebookAll About Blues Music

Elizabeth Cotten - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

How to Play Freight Train by Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten - 10 minute Guitar Fingerpicking Lesson

2.3K viewsMar 2, 2023

YouTubeFundamental Fiddler

Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train (Live Performance)

50.8K viewsAug 28, 2023

YouTubeCornerstone Recordings

FOUNDER MASTER: ELIZABETH COTTEN Country: Carrboro, North Carolina (USA) Also known as “Libba,” she was a foundational figure in American folk and blues music, celebrated for her unique acoustic guitar style and for achieving success later in life. She was born on January 5, 1893. She began playing her brother’s banjo at the age of 7 and bought her first guitar by working as a domestic servant from a very young age. At just 11 years old, she wrote “Freight Train,” inspired by the sound of trains

3K views3 months ago

FacebookBob Marino

Freight Train performed by Elizabeth Cotten

34.6K viewsJan 17, 2023

YouTubeGtrWorkShp

The incredible story of Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten

MSNWSYR Syracuse

Elizabeth Cotten is a self-taught guitarist, singer and songwriter who didn’t attain any degree of public recognition until she was in her mid-60s, Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten nonetheless became one of the most revered figures in the world of folk music after her talents were discovered in the 1950s, with her song “Freight Train” becoming a standard. Cotten’s unusual self-invented picking style (born of necessity, as the left-handed Libba learned to play on a right-handed guitar turned upside-down)

53.3K viewsFeb 14, 2022

FacebookGrateful Dead

Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train (Rare Live Performance)

1.2M viewsSep 10, 2021

YouTubeCornerstone Recordings

Freight Train - ACCURATE Elizabeth Cotten Guitar Tutorial

36.5K viewsJun 19, 2020

YouTubeMike's Music Method

Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten/Stefan Grossman

3.2K viewsJul 20, 2017

YouTubeThat old guitar music student

94-year-old Elizabeth Cotten. The singer who conquered the world

1.5K viewsMar 26, 2024

YouTubearchiveworlld

Sunny War covers Elizabeth Cotten: "FreightTrain" | Live Studio Performance

2.2K viewsJun 14, 2024

YouTubeSalt Lick Sessions

Elizabeth Cotten Wrote “Freight Train” at 11, Won a Grammy at 90, and Changed American Music In-Between

openculture.com

Freight Train (Live)

21K viewsApr 20, 2020

YouTubeElizabeth Cotton - Topic

Libba Cotten Documentary

62.1K viewsNov 10, 2012

YouTubeAlan Gragg

Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten | Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson

453.1K viewsNov 26, 2016

YouTubeAnyone Can Play Guitar

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (née Nevills; January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) - In the Sweet By and By | Clamih

9.3K viewsMar 22, 2024

Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train

110K viewsNov 17, 2006

YouTubeRoy Dunn

Elizabeth Cotten Wrote the Perfect Melody (And How to Play It)

13.8K viewsMay 11, 2021

YouTubeBlues Guitar Institute

United States of Americana host Bill DeVille talks about legendary artist Elizabeth Cotten — an influential songwriter and guitarist to commemorate during Black History Month and to celebrate all year long. Listen to United States of Americana on Sundays from 8 to 10 a.m. Central; tune in, stream, use the smartphone app or tell your smart speakers to play The Current. | The Current

3.9K viewsFeb 1, 2020

FacebookThe Current

The history of Blues, Folk, and Country Music are inseparable. Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten wrote “Freight Train” as a child between 9-12 years old but didn’t record the song until 1958. She was left-handed playing right-handed guitars, so she flipped her guitar upside down in a style that became known as “Cotten Picking.” In this collection of interviews spanning from the 1960s - 1980s, Libba describes growing up in the Jim Crow South, learning to play guitar, and how she wrote her most well known

15.9K viewsMay 18, 2025

TikTokcountrymusic333

See more