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. In the early '40s, Cotten began working for the legendary Charles Seeger family and caring for his children, Pete, Peggy, and Mike. When the Seegers learned of Cotten's guitar skills, they recorded her for Folkways, and in 1957 she issued her debut LP, Folksongs and Instrumentals.