Leadbelly

Leadbelly (born Huddie William Ledbetter; January 29, 1885 – December 6, 1949) was an American folk musician, notable for his high, clear voice, for his forceful singing, and for his virtuosity as a twelve string guitar player.

Biography

Leadbelly was born to Wesley and Sally Ledbetter in a plantation near Mooringsport, Louisiana, but the family moved to Leigh, Texas when he was five. It was there he received his first instrument, an accordion from his uncle, and by his early-20s, after fathering at least two children, he left home to find his living as a guitarist (and occasionally, as a labourer). His boastful spirit and penchant for the occasional skirmish sometimes led him into trouble with the law, and in 1918 was thrown into a Texas jail for the second time, this time after killing a man in a fight. He was released seven years into his thirty year sentence after writing a song appealing to Governor Pat Neff for his freedom, but in 1930 was back in prison, this time in Louisiana for attempted homicide. It was there, three years later, that he was "discovered" by musicologists John and Alan Lomax, who were enchanted by his talent, passion and singularity as a performer, and recorded hundreds of his songs on portable recording equipment for the Library of Congress.

Related Topics:
Plantation - Mooringsport, Louisiana - Texas - Accordion - 1918 - 1930 - Louisiana - Homicide - Musicologists - John - Alan Lomax - Library of Congress

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The following year Leadbelly was once again pardoned, this time after a petition for his early release was taken to Louisiana governor O.K. Allen by the Lomaxes (it was on the other side of a recording of one of his most popular songs, "Goodnight Irene"). Indebted to the Lomaxes, he allowed Alan to take him under his wing, and in late 1934 migrated North to New York City with him, where he attained fame, though not fortune. In 1935 he married Martha Promise, and began recording with the American Record Company, but achieved little commercial success with these records (in part because the company insisted he record blues songs rather than the folk he was better known for), and the couple struggled financially. In 1939 he was back in jail for assault.

Related Topics:
Petition - O.K. Allen - Goodnight Irene - 1934 - North - New York City - 1935 - American Record Company - Blues - 1939

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Upon his release in 1940, Leadbelly returned to a surging New York folk scene, and befriended the likes of Woody Guthrie and a young Pete Seeger. During the first half of the decade he recorded for RCA, the Library of Congress, and for Moe Asch (future founder of Folkways Records), and in 1944 headed to California, where he recorded strong sessions for Capitol Records. In 1949 he began his first European tour, but fell ill before its completion, and was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Leadbelly died later that year in New York City, and was buried in the Shiloh Baptist Church cemetery, 8 miles west of Blanchard, Louisiana, in Caddo Parish.

Related Topics:
1940 - Woody Guthrie - Pete Seeger - RCA - Moe Asch - Folkways Records - 1944 - California - Capitol Records - 1949 - European - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - Lou Gehrig - Blanchard, Louisiana - Caddo Parish

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Leadbelly's vast songbook, much of which he adapted from previous sources, has provided material for numerous folk, country, pop and rock acts since his time, including Seeger's band the Weavers (who had a hit with "Goodnight Irene" the year after his death), the Animals (who had a hit with "House of the Rising Sun" in 1964), Creedence Clearwater Revival (who recorded a popular version of "Midnight Special" in 1969), and Kurt Cobain (who covered "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" in 1993 to close Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance). He has also been covered by Lonnie Donegan, Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Michelle Shocked and the White Stripes, among many others, and has been mentioned in songs by Van Morrison, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots.

Related Topics:
The Weavers - The Animals - House of the Rising Sun - 1964 - Creedence Clearwater Revival - 1969 - Kurt Cobain - Where Did You Sleep Last Night - 1993 - Nirvana - MTV Unplugged - Lonnie Donegan - Johnny Cash - Gene Autry - The Beach Boys - Led Zeppelin - Michelle Shocked - The White Stripes - Van Morrison - Pearl Jam - Stone Temple Pilots

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