Elizabeth Cotten – Folksongs and Instrumentals With Guitar Folkways FG 3526 (1958)
Elizabeth Cotten was an excellent guitar player, and a self-taught one. Her playing seemed to completely be free of ego. Even when she plays complex ragtime tunes like Blind Blake, there is no flashiness. This is the sort of music people make even when no one else is listening. While it may be hard to imagine her singing being any worse, it doesn’t detract from the album at all because her vocals are so obviously heartfelt and genuine. This album has a homespun quality to it, and is something worth revisiting often.