Elizabeth Cotten on "Guitar Guitar" w/ Laura Weber 1969

(From what I can tell) "Guitar Guitar" was a folk guitar TV show (PBS most likely) from the late 1960s. I just uploaded the John Fahey segment, and this episode was also on the VHS tape that I owned in the late 1990s. I transferred a lot of my VHS tapes onto DVDs in the early 2000s, and now they're starting to degrade. So I plan on uploading some pretty random stuff soon.
This episode is great, and I've loved Cotten's music since being introduced by fIREHOSE's third LP, From Ohio. If anybody wants to take the time to notate the track times in the comments, that'd be rather helpful.

[@besavage4real160]

I love hearing her say she couldn’t chord and play melodies like other people, so she made up her own way❤❤. That shows there really isn’t a right or wrong way to play an instrument. Who says you can’t play upside down❤❤❤ .A great treasure to find this interview..

[@msbcheet6041]

Her playing soothes the soul.

[@bar9973]

I’m 80 and have enjoyed her playing for many years. As I recall she had lived in the DC area where I was born.

[@rterry47]

First time I've seen this interview and gotten to hear her praying various songs. This was one brilliant and talented woman. Didn't know that she penned "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". She had to have a lot of patience and determination to be able to play that style. I'm right-handed and just praying guitar in the normal fashion can be difficult at times. How she managed to adapt like that is amazing. Gotta love it.

[@The_triple_fool]

"What a friend we have in Jesus" is a poem from the 1850's that was turned into a hymn in 1868 by Charles Converse.

[@meadowqueen8866]

Wow, this is sensational! My mind is officially blown. Thank you so much for posting this.

[@nonyabidness1623]

Freight Train, Made a great impression on me several years ago, love her style and her presence, a great ,display of talent,!

[@andyquinn1125]

Amazing video. To see Ms Elizabeth a treasure. Never would have imagined it.

[@tjstevens001]

What a special lady!

[@outtathyme5679]

The hand of god touches us in the most unlikely places

[@msbcheet6041]

So eloquent and so very true.

[@christaylor2070]

I can hear echoes of Rev Gary Davis and Mississippi John Hurt in her playing yet she came up with it all herself.🙂

[@curtrod]

More like there's echoes of her in their playing 😊

[@douglasnorrie5925]

The jesus song. Man ive heard 20 play that or versions.

[@robertpeterson8640]

This is delightful of course. I wish all the “Guitar Guitar” videos were available as a group.

[@harseybaber]

Yes, this show was originally called "Folk Guitar" (I think) with this same woman - Laura Webber which aired on PBS. I remember it in black and white. When I was a kid, I loved this show. She had a mail-in offer to order some guitar-centric product that she made available. I remember ordering this by sending my envelope in the mail and included a guitar pick as a gift to her. I didn't realize she was broadcasting 1500 miles away and would probably never receive my little present. That memory was probably 1967 or '68. The show's theme song's lyric started with: "All the day a' singin, supper on the ground. Ol' folks and a' young 'uns gatherin' 'round...."

[@MasteringSilence]

Beautiful, thanks for sharing.

[@bobbiestewart9500]

" Just my Luck", just my luck just my luck, the whole damn thing is just my luck. Yes the whole darn thing is just my luck , cute little melody, "just my luck." What a fabulous calm gentle little lady!

[@hilmarwensorra1215]

Amazing stuff - period. (and big Thanks for posting)

[@brianball9156]

Don't care who gets the credit; or how the work gets done, just the love of the work itself with all creation.. the epithet of a saint

[@kimoreilly6899]

😊❤Kim

[@JackTheRabbitMusic]

I love how the host gets a good laugh every time she gets to say, “Cotton picking”. 😂 Different times…

[@gordyhydro5774]

Brilliant!!!

[@ignatiuskhan]

Two finger picking upside down when I can't play it upside up with four fingers in a decent way!! First heard this tune over 50 years ago... sang in French. Only found out about Ms Cotten's version some 20 years ago. Still a treat for my ears.

[@leilanirocks]

I just learned from watching this that my late uncle Rick was indeed a “Cotten Picker”. I never understood how he could pick up and play a right-handed guitar, left-handed and pick with just his thumb and pointer finger… but he was very good. Until this moment I had never seen another person do it and it blew me away to see it. It was impossible for me to learn a thing from him because I play right-handed and so I acquired a three-finger Travis picking style on my own… before I ever knew it was called Travis picking.

[@danieljoemckinney111]

The way she holds and keeps her pinky and ring finger on the guitar body is A technique my Dad used in playing and teaching how to play the banjo claw finger style like Earl Scruggs Did. Earl Scruggs is the inventor of the claw finger style of picking the banjo 🪕. Works well with finger picking the guitar as well as we all can see. Remarkable that she's playing the guitar left handed and upside down! Wow😀. Nice Job Ladies.

[@BostonWhoFan515]

What's upside-down to us regular players is perfectly normal to people like her. She doesn't see it as a trickier way to play. It's just normal. My mind still gets all discombobulated watching it.

[@brendanbansavagepresentedb5086]

She will be our new god

[@larryrhindress2972]

What a sweetheart that Laura is and a great picker!!

[@user-sb2vg6py4h]

Shows that they many ways to learn guitar enjoyable

[@trevorfromengland]

Her fingerstyle method makes so much more sense to me

[@JohnTimothy-m8x]

Than than what sense u getting ​@tbeau6663

[@trevorfromengland]

More like this please

[@ChrisDefalcoblues]

She is awesome

[@paulmera7677]

Este video es una joya! ✨👌

[@jm21756]

Jaw dropping

[@leonardharrison5086]

I love those Washington blues !!!

[@Mitchyboi]

Timestamps: 1. 1:57 (Freight Train) 2. 6:37 (What A Friend We Have In Jesus) 3. 9:34 (Vestapol) 4. 12:19 (Ruben, such a weird tune.) 5. 15:55 (Washington Blues) 6. 20:16 (A Jig, or Jenny) 7. 24:22 (Spanish Flang Dang)

[@hannamiller8749]

I don’t think Ruben is weird. I think there’s dissonance in the song but that’s what gives it a certain flavor.

[@IvesMarcelin]

À Daniel ..F repose en paix Daniel 🎸🩵

[@ronjackson3]

When I heard this, I had to learn it. I can mimic a bit, but I have never played it.

[@leftypick4854]

Pure talent. You all right handed guys try and play like that.

[@PeteAhlen]

Given her advice to lefties, you can see that back then not many makers offered lefty versions outside of special orders. As a lefty myself, i appreciate that most offer lefty instruments nowadays. Problem is, the selection in music stores is sparse at best and we have to order from an online retailer.

[@user-ur8ju8uv8y]

I heard a bit of "Candy Man" in the mix😂

[@FOLKYFINGERINGS]

I wonder if the reason she is smiling at 2:48 is because of the lyrics she is singing just prior. Don't tell them what train I'm on... essentially asking them not to snitch on her.

[@bobbiestewart9500]

"Sweet little me" Sweet little me, I liove to fly but its just me, just not me just not me , I love to fly but its just not me oh its just not me , all i have is its only sweet little me.

[@richardread8281]

Great finger picking. Does anyone know the tuning at 9 . 25 minutes and which model(s) of Martin Elizabeth played ? I'm in awe of this lady.

[@stvstreett]

looks like a 0028

[@Cracketooth]

E sharp

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

I'm wondering if Elizabeth and Etta Baker ever got together and played?

[@PeteAhlen]

Curious what open tunings she used

[@hangerlanetheearthman9421]

amazing ,,just amazing blows 95% of great players out of the water ,, thumb playing melody,,index bass? hendrix watch out ,,

[@Tyler-g5l]

Freight train has lullaby quality

[@larryrhindress2972]

Sorry I meant to write Elizabeth.

[@Davewutsup]

The strings are not reversed,,, she's just playing the guitar upside down.

[@leo--4341]

ebGDAE… reverse order of EADGbe

[@corinafrancishincal9979]

Sound need sub sound so ole come on 😃

[@douglasnorrie5925]

Solid technique. Locked by 2 fingers. Thumbs doin same as classical 654. Django only used 2 fingers. Id wonder about the tuning if she plays by ear. Lot of the old timers were open e or g or d. Inspiritional woman anyroads. So humble and sweet. Reminds me of my granny. And im from Scotland.