There are a few vendors lining the town commons on Friday evening— a woman selling bracelets, an ice cream truck— but the star of the show is undoubtedly the music. The music is part of the “Elizabeth Cotten Freight Train Blues Concert Series,” an annual event put on by the town of Carrboro in collaboration with Music Maker and other sponsors. This year’s concert series opened Friday, May 15, featuring performances from Kelley Breiding, Gail Ceasar and Brenda Evans & Family. Evans is the granddaughter of the concert series’ namesake: Elizabeth Cotten.
Elizabeth Cotten was a legendary blues musician from Carrboro. She is perhaps best known for her song “Freight Train” which was inspired in part by the train that passed through Carrboro when she was growing up. Cotten would go on to receive a Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1985. In 2022 she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The name of the concert series was recently changed to highlight Cotten, though it has always been in her honor, Denise Duffy, co-founder of Music Maker said.
“She was the inspiration for this series, and that kind of community-based roots music that she carried on in this community is exactly the kind of traditional musicians that we like to work with,” Duffy said, “And so we were inspired by her legacy to create the series.”
Michelle Blume, Carrboro’s recreation supervisor, said that even though the series had included the name “Libba” Cotten originally, Cotten’s family felt that the use of her full name was important, and thus, with the support of Music Maker and Elizabeth Cotten’s family, the transition was made to the series’ official name: “The Elizabeth Cotten Freight Train Blues Concert Series.”
At Friday’s performance, Elizabeth Cotten’s descendants presented Mayor Foushee and the town of Carrboro with a guitar that Cotten had once played.
“Here in Carrboro, she is more than a legend, she is part of our story,” Foushee said after being presented with the guitar, “Her journey reminds us that greatness can grow from her beginnings and resonate around the world. Carrboro takes great pride in preserving and celebrating the legacy of Elizabeth Cotton.”
The series started 12 years ago, when Music Maker approached the town of Carrboro. Duffy said the number one request from the artists Music Maker works with is for more performance opportunities and the concert series provides one.
The concert series also provides a place for community members to gather, and over the past 12 years the popularity of the Elizabeth Cotten Freight Train Blues Concert Series has grown from 40 or 50 audience members, to over 800. Blume said that some families even plan their vacations around the concert series.
“I think it's a great way to build community and to find people that share similar interests and support local businesses and just be part of the community in which I live,” audience member Aimee Benson said.
The Elizabeth Cotten Freight Train Blues Concert Series will continue 6:30-8:30, every Friday until June 12th in Carrboro’s Town Commons, 301 West Main St.* Community members will be able to experience genres of music ranging from Soul Blues to Salsa.
“We just try to make sure that we're honoring the legacy of Elizabeth Cotton and the traditions that shaped Piedmont blues and folk music.” Blume said.
*The concert on Friday, May 22, has been moved indoors to the Drakeford Library Complex, 203 South Greensboro St. Da Funky Leroy Harper Jr. All Starz and Lynn Grissett will perform.