Odetta Sings the Blues is an album by Odetta Holmes (1930–2008), commonly known as Odetta, who is often referred to as “the Voice of the Civil Rights Movement”. First released in 1962 as Odetta and the Blues and with a different cover, this is a re-release from 1968.
The front cover uses Crayonette, with the artist’s name set in all caps. With its mid-stem decoration, Crayonette’s T can easily be misinterpreted as an F – and her name hence be read as a lisped version of Odesa. David Jonathan Ross mitigated this pitfall in his digital interpretation, Crayonette DJR, by moving down the tendril.
Cover design by Robert Flynn with photography by Jim Marshall. The liner notes were designed by Joe Lebow featuring a sketch by Victor Kalin.
The title on the back cover is set in West Behemoth, with Stymie used for the liner notes by Ralph J. Gleason.