Sometimes you need to play an upside down guitar ("Cotten" Picking)
0:55
YouTubeTCM Clips
Sometimes you need to play an upside down guitar ("Cotten" Picking)
Mrs. Elizabeth Cotten learned to play guitar upside down and left-handed, without changing the strings. A self-taught student, learning on her brother's guitar, she plowed ahead through trial and error until she developed her own technique. What makes it unusual is her lead finger is picking the low bass string, with the thumb playing the ...
1K views7 months ago
Related Products
Elizabeth Cotten Guitar
Picking Cotton Book
Cotton Picking Machine
#Elizabeth Cotten Top Songs
In honor of Elizabeth Cotten's birthday, we want to share this rare clip of her playing "Washington Blues," a song she wrote in 1965. | Dust-to-Digital
In honor of Elizabeth Cotten's birthday, we want to share this rare clip of her playing "Washington Blues," a song she wrote in 1965. | Dust-to-Digital
FacebookJan 5, 2018
At age 85, Elizabeth Cotten demonstrates how she taught herself to play guitar as a child and performs the first tune she ever learned, "Wilson Rag." Special thanks to Mike Seeger for everything he did to bring Elizabeth Cotten's music to the world including this footage filmed at Black Hawk College in 1978. | Dust-to-Digital
At age 85, Elizabeth Cotten demonstrates how she taught herself to play guitar as a child and performs the first tune she ever learned, "Wilson Rag." Special thanks to Mike Seeger for everything he did to bring Elizabeth Cotten's music to the world including this footage filmed at Black Hawk College in 1978. | Dust-to-Digital
FacebookJul 26, 2017
Top videos
@myownsummary on Instagram: "Elizabeth Cotten, a self-taught blues and folk musician, performs her signature song, "Freight Train," live. Cotten developed a unique fingerstyle guitar technique known as "Cotten picking," where she played a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down, plucking bass lines with her fingers and melodies with her thumb. This unconventional approach resulted in a distinct and influential sound. "Freight Train" was composed by Cotten when she was a young girl and be
0:59
@myownsummary on Instagram: "Elizabeth Cotten, a self-taught blues and folk musician, performs her signature song, "Freight Train," live. Cotten developed a unique fingerstyle guitar technique known as "Cotten picking," where she played a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down, plucking bass lines with her fingers and melodies with her thumb. This unconventional approach resulted in a distinct and influential sound. "Freight Train" was composed by Cotten when she was a young girl and be
Instagrammyownsummary
327 views2 months ago
Libba' Cotten whose 'upside-down' fingerpicking style is known as 'Cotten-picking', was born on June 29th 1887. Libba wrote the song 'Freight Train' when she was 12 years old. She worked as a nurse for the Seeger family and they recorded her in the 50's, leading to a late but productive career. | All About Blues Music
1:51
Libba' Cotten whose 'upside-down' fingerpicking style is known as 'Cotten-picking', was born on June 29th 1887. Libba wrote the song 'Freight Train' when she was 12 years old. She worked as a nurse for the Seeger family and they recorded her in the 50's, leading to a late but productive career. | All About Blues Music
FacebookAll About Blues Music
282.8K viewsJun 29, 2015
Bill Staines and a "Cotten Picking" style of play developed by Elizabeth Cotten
4:35
Bill Staines and a "Cotten Picking" style of play developed by Elizabeth Cotten
YouTubeBanjo Gal
6.8K viewsJan 13, 2013
Elizabeth Cotten Guitar Style
Elizabeth Cotten - Vestapol Elizabeth Cotten was among the most influential guitarists to surface during the roots music revival era, her wonderfully expressive and dexterous fingerpicking style a major inspiration to the generations of players who followed in her wake. Cotten was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the early weeks of 1893. After first picking up the banjo at the age of eight, she soon moved on to her brother’s guitar, laying it flat on her lap and over time developing her p
1:31
Elizabeth Cotten - Vestapol Elizabeth Cotten was among the most influential guitarists to surface during the roots music revival era, her wonderfully expressive and dexterous fingerpicking style a major inspiration to the generations of players who followed in her wake. Cotten was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the early weeks of 1893. After first picking up the banjo at the age of eight, she soon moved on to her brother’s guitar, laying it flat on her lap and over time developing her p
FacebookGreg Letson
99 viewsJun 9, 2023
Freight Train - Anyone Can Play Guitar
Freight Train - Anyone Can Play Guitar
anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk
Feb 15, 2017
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".
2:00
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".
FacebookDime Store Radio
81.6K viewsJan 5, 2023
@myownsummary on Instagram: "Elizabeth Cotten, a self-taught blues and folk musician, performs her signature song, "Freight Train," live. Cotten developed a unique fingerstyle guitar technique known as "Cotten picking," where she played a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down, plucking bass lines with her fingers and melodies with her thumb. This unconventional approach resulted in a distinct and influential sound. "Freight Train" was composed by Cotten when she was a young girl and be
0:59
@myownsummary on Instagram: "Elizabeth Cotten, a self-taught bl…
327 views2 months ago
Instagrammyownsummary
Libba' Cotten whose 'upside-down' fingerpicking style is known as 'Cotten-picking', was born on June 29th 1887. Libba wrote the song 'Freight Train' when she was 12 years old. She worked as a nurse for the Seeger family and they recorded her in the 50's, leading to a late but productive career. | All About Blues Music
1:51
Libba' Cotten whose 'upside-down' fingerpicking style is known as 'C…
282.8K viewsJun 29, 2015
FacebookAll About Blues Music
Bill Staines and a "Cotten Picking" style of play developed by Elizabeth Cotten
4:35
Bill Staines and a "Cotten Picking" style of play developed by Elizabe…
6.8K viewsJan 13, 2013
YouTubeBanjo Gal
Acoustic Guitar Lesson - Elizabeth Cotten-style Lesson
5:30
Acoustic Guitar Lesson - Elizabeth Cotten-style Lesson
16.8K viewsJan 7, 2010
YouTubeAcoustic Guitar Magazine
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
1:01
Thinking of the legendary Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, born on this day i…
16.9K viewsJan 6, 2025
FacebookPittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
Elizabeth Cotten style | Cotten Picking – Folk Blues Guitar Tribute 🎸
29:31
Elizabeth Cotten style | Cotten Picking – Folk Blues Guitar Tribute 🎸
407 views7 months ago
YouTubeRock Blues Cafe
Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train #music #folk #folksong #musichistory
0:31
Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train #music #folk #folksong #musichis…
21.3K viewsFeb 4, 2025
YouTubegranchiomusic
Cotten picking, ‘picking and flicking’, open tunings, Travis pick…
Jul 27, 2024
guitarworld.com
2:58
Elizabeth "Libby" Cotten The American Guitar Icon You Probabl…
1.1K views7 months ago
YouTubeMaking It Up with Dan
34:34
Freight Train - ACCURATE Elizabeth Cotten Guitar Tutorial
35.9K viewsJun 19, 2020
YouTubeMike's Music Method
2:50
Freight Train performed by Elizabeth Cotten
32.2K viewsJan 17, 2023
YouTubeGtrWorkShp
15:23
She Made 75 Cent A Month and Created Cotton Picken Style of Gu…
4.7K viewsDec 24, 2024
YouTubeThe Big Brian Show
8:13
FREIGHT TRAIN - Elisabeth Cotten fingerstyle GUITAR LESSON
14.3K viewsAug 4, 2016
YouTubefrans kuijpers
9:54
Elizabeth Cotten | Freight Train and Beyond
165 viewsJun 28, 2024
YouTube1MM1 Acoustic
How Long is a Cotton Picking Minute – (And Why)?
Nov 19, 2019
exactlyhowlong.com
0:25
Demo-ing the Cotten picking style
649 viewsApr 10, 2024
YouTubeBen's Uke Tutes & Road Trips
10:19
Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten (Easy Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson)
61.8K viewsFeb 22, 2018
YouTubeSix String Fingerpicking
20:35
Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten | Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
451.7K viewsNov 26, 2016
YouTubeAnyone Can Play Guitar
18:04
Freight Train - (as Elizabeth Cotten played it) | Breakdown + Guitar Le…
13.7K viewsDec 4, 2023
YouTubeMT Guitar
15:18
Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten - Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson
107.7K viewsApr 20, 2022
YouTubeSix String Fingerpicking
14:17
Elizabeth Cotten pt 2
251.4K viewsApr 8, 2011
YouTubeBlues&Folk 1960's
2:47
Freight Train Elizabeth Cotton
3.5M viewsSep 15, 2008
YouTubeBonzo Turrell
7:58
Tommy Emmanuel Teaches Variations in "Freight Train" by Eli…
1.3M viewsMar 23, 2018
YouTubeReverb
10:46
COTTON PICKING & GINNING 1940s COTTON INDUSTRY EDUCATION…
38.9K viewsFeb 13, 2017
YouTubePeriscopeFilm
6:54
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten - Carrboro's Folk Treasure
5.3K viewsOct 19, 2022
YouTubeCAROLINA FINDS by Geekorman Media
3:01
Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train (Rare Live Performance)
1.1M viewsSep 10, 2021
YouTubeCornerstone Recordings
7:06
Re: Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train
397.4K viewsSep 3, 2007
YouTubecrtUK
2:04
Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train (Live Performance)
49.3K viewsAug 28, 2023
YouTubeCornerstone Recordings
4:17
The Cotton Pickin Kids “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”
212.2K viewsDec 19, 2021
YouTubeJohn Colburn
See more videos
Static thumbnail place holder