Almeda Riddle

One would be hard pressed to track down recorded examples of Almeda Riddle's singing, but the hunt would be well worth it since she possessed one of the strongest voices ever put to wax. Born in 1898, Riddle spent her entire life in rural Arkansas, where she learned an extensive repertoire of ballads, traditional religious songs, and children's songs from her father, a hard working lumber salesman who was a descendant of the infamous James Gang. In addition to selling timber, J.L. James also worked as a singing teacher, benefiting his daughter's talent greatly. Riddle's voice ...