I was profoundly honored and blessed to be this lovely lady's visiting nurse for the last two years of her life. She had a beautiful, gentle spirit, and I know she wouldn't mind me telling you about her. Ms. Baker was fiercely independent, ignoring the advice of concerned loved ones to take it easy and not go outside by herself. She LOVED working in her garden, where I often found her while visiting. She was excited to learn that I grew up in the Seattle area, as she had many fond memories of playing her music at the foot of the Space Needle. She shared these experiences, and others, showing me pictures of musicians she had played with, many of whom are quite famous. It struck me that she always had wonderful things to say about the talents of others, but was very humble regarding her own. She treasured her friends, from all over the country, and was grateful to music for making this possible. After returning from a two week vacation to see family in Washington, I was pleased that she had received the postcard I’d sent. It was a picture of the Space Needle, which she had stuck in the mirror frame of her bedroom dresser. I miss you, Miss Etta!!
+Caren Crabtree What a lovely story! I was able to know her a little bit in the 1990s when I'd come visit my father's family in Morganton. She was such a beautiful, giving woman, and I miss her very much, even though I only saw her a few times. I took a class with her when she was doing a teach-in at Merlefest in the mid-90s, and even several years later, my mother ran into Miss Etta at a yard sale and she remembered me, which was humbling and astounding. It broke my heart when she passed.
Caren Crabtree she mentioned Irish and Indian heritage... I thought she was Indian but wasn't sure . What was her heritage, so you know? Is she African American also? I'm jut so curious. Love this lady! I've learned so much from older folk, you were blessed to have that experience
That is truly wonderful to read. You have, I am sure, the gratitude of many for the care you provided. Her style of music has always spoken to the depths of my being - I don't know why as it had to reach across the barriers of culture, geography, gender and religion. I can only surmise it expressed something of the best of humanity and I am left feeling that the world really really needs more like her at this moment.
What a wonderful snapshot of her life, albeit 4 years ago. The legend never dies. And I learned of her yesterday., same caliber as Elizabeth Cotten whom I saw live.
am also interested in her comment about 'irish' and 'indian' grandmothers. any chance she might have had dna analyzed? based on my own, similar heritage (confirmed by NG genome mapping project), my guess would be that 'irish' is actually scott-irish, aka 'ulster scott', which was historically scottish immigrants lured to ulster county in ireland by the english before coming to the US where they quickly fled the landed genrty (english), up to the hills and isolated regions where they frequently intermixed with native people and escaped african slaves. that is the story of so many of us, at least, part of the story. sadly, the specific tribes that we come from are likely lost to history, and most people who make the claim just say they're 'cherokee', which is unlikely unless your people come from the mountains of western nc/eastern tenn. my dad, Eulen Carroll, never talked about being part native, because his dad had lived in the days when you could be killed for being 'indian'. grandfather Orbie Lee died in mcalister, ok, just outside the big pine reservation where some of his people (his grandmother or great-grandma, interestingly) were buried. this is the res. at the end of the trail of tears, ca. the US indian removal act of 1830. cultural genocide.
I personally knew Miss Etta, her grandson was my drummer in my band for 2 years, I played at her wake. She was a warm and wonderful person. RIP Miss Etta, gone but never forgotten...
what a wonderful lady ! love her spirit and her music ! the guitar she is playing is made by Takamine with that old electric pickup from the seventies .
