Lead Belly, also spelled Leadbelly, byname of Huddie William Ledbetter, (born January 21, 1885?, Jeter Plantation, near Mooringsport, Louisiana, U.S.—died December 6, 1949, New York, New York), American folk-blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose ability to perform a vast repertoire of songs in a variety of styles, in conjunction with his notoriously violent life, made him a legend.
Musical from childhood, Lead Belly played accordion, 6- and (more usually) 12-string guitar, bass, and harmonica. He led a wandering life, learning songs by absorbing oral tradition. For a time he worked as an itinerant musician with Blind Lemon Jefferson. In 1918 he was imprisoned in Texas for murder. According to tradition, he won his early release in 1925 by singing a song for the governor of Texas when he visited the prison.
After resuming a life of drifting, in 1930 Lead Belly was convicted of attempted murder and imprisoned in the Angola, Louisiana, prison farm. There he was “discovered” by the folklorists John Lomax and Alan Lomax, who were collecting songs for the Library of Congress. A campaign spearheaded by the Lomaxes secured Lead Belly’s release in 1934, and he embarked on a concert tour of eastern colleges. Subsequently, the Lomaxes published 48 of his songs together with commentary (Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Lead Belly, 1936). Lead Belly performed and recorded extensively. His first commercial recordings were made for the American Record Corporation, which did not take advantage of his huge folk repertoire but rather encouraged him to sing blues. He settled in New York City in 1937. He struggled to make enough money, and in 1939–40 he was jailed again, this time for assault. After he was released, he briefly worked with Woody Guthrie, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and others as the Headline Singers, performed on radio, and, in 1945, appeared in a short film. In 1949, shortly before his death, he gave a concert in Paris.
Complete Recorded Works 1939-1947 Volume 1. Document DOCD-5226 (1994)
ARC unissued, New York City, February 5, 1935.
D1-01. 16806-3 Daddy I'm Coming Back To You
D1-02. 16814-2 Shorty George
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g, tap).
Musicraft, New York City, April 1, 1939.
D1-03. GM 498 Fannin Street
D1-04. GM 499-K Frankie And Albert - First Half
D1-05. GM 499-A Frankie And Albert - Completion
D1-06. GM 501 De Kalb Blues
D1-07. GM 503 Looky Looky Yonder / Black Betty / Yellow Women's Door Bells (On A Monday)
D1-08. GM 504 The Bourgeois Blues
D1-09. GM 505-K Poor Howard / Green Corn
D1-10. GM 507 The Boll Weevil
D1-11. GM 509-A The Gallis Pole
D1-12. GM 509-K Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No Mo' / Go Down Old Hannah
With Golden Gate Quartet: Henry Owens (1st tenor), William Langford (2nd tenor), Clyde Riddick (3rd tenor), Willie "Bill" Johnson (baritone), Orlandus "Dad" Wilson (bass); acc. (g).
Victor, New York City, June 15, 1940.
D1-13. 051295-1 Pick A Bale Of Cotton
D1-14. 051297 Whoa Back, Buck
D1-15. 051298-1 Midnight Special
D1-16. 051299-1 Alabama Bound
D1-17. 051500 Rock Island Line
Huddie Leadbelly (vo) acc. own (g).
Bluebird, New York City, June 15, 1940.
D1-18. 051501-1 Good Morning Blues
D1-19. 051502-1 Leaving Blues
D1-20. 051503-1 T. B. Blues
D1-21. 051504-1 Red Cross Store Blues
D1-22. 051505-1 Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On
D1-23. 051506-1 Roberta
D1-24. 051507-1 Alberta
D1-25. 051508-1 I'm On My Last Go-Round
Complete Recorded Works Volume 2 1940-1943. Document DOCD-5227 (1994)
Huddie Leadbelly (vo) acc. own (g).
New York City, June 17 1940.
D2-01. 051322-1 Easy Rider
D2-02. 051323-1 New York City
D2-03. 051324-1 Worried Blues
D2-04. 051325-1 Don't You Love Your Daddy No More ?
D2-05. 051326-1 You Can't Lose-a Me Cholly
With Golden Gate Quartet: Henry Owens (1st tenor), William Langford (2nd tenor), Clyde Riddick (3rd tenor), Willie "Bill" Johnson (baritone), Orlandus "Dad" Wilson (bass); acc. (g).
Bluebirdd, New York City, June 17 1940.
D2-06. 051327-1 Grey Goose
XX-XX. 051327-2 Grey Goose ** Too Late, Too Late Vol 6 **
XX-XX. 051328-1 Didn't Ol' John Cross The Water ? ** Too Late, Too Late Vol 5 **
D2-07. 051329-1 Stew Ball
D2-08. 051330-1 Take This Hammer
D2-09. 051331-1 Can't You Line 'Em
D2-10. 051333-1 Ham An' Eggs
Asch, New York City, May, 1941.
D2-11. SC 26 Ha Ha Thisaway
D2-12. SC 27 Little Sally Walker
Asch, New York City, June, 1941.
D2-13. SC 32 Redbird
D2-14. SC 34 Christmas Song
Asch, New York City, July, 1941.
D2-15. SC 79 Skip To My Lou
D2-16. SC 80 You Can't Lose Me Cholly
Asch, New York City, Janaury, 1942.
D2-17. SC 101 Take This Hammer
D2-18. SC 102 Haul Away, Joe
D2-19. SC 103 Rock Island Line
D2-20. SC 104 Ol' Riley
D2-21. SC 105 Corn Bread Rough
D2-22. SC 106-1 Old Man
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g), Sonny Terry (h).
Asch/Melodisc, New York City, August, 1943.
D2-23. SC 258 On A Monday
D2-24. SC 259 John Henry
D2-25. SC 260 How Long
D2-26. SC 261-1 (Good Night) Irene
D2-27. SC 261 (Good Night) Irene
D2-28. SC 262 Ain't You Glad
D2-29. SC 263 Good Morning Blues
Complete Recorded Works Volume 3 1943-1944. Document DOCD-5228 (1994)
Asch, New York City, c. October, 1943.
D3-01. SC 270 Cow Cow Yicky Yea / Out On The Western Plains
D3-02. SC 271 Noted Rider / Big Fat Woman / Borrow Love And Go
D3-03. SC 272 John Hardy
D3-04. SC 273 Meeting At The Building / Talking Preaching / We Shall Walk Through The Valley
D3-05. SC 274 Fiddlers Dream / Yallow Gal / Green Corn
D3-06. SC 275 Bring Me Lil Water Silvy / Julia Ann Johnson / Line 'Em / Whoa Back Buck
Musicraft, New York City, February 17, 1944.
D3-07. 5126-3 Roberta
D3-08. 5127 Bill Brady
D3-09. 5128 (Black Gal) Where Did You Sleep Last Night ?
D3-10. 5129 Yellow Gal
D3-11. 5130-1 When The Boys Were On The Western Plains
D3-12. 5131 Pretty Flowers In Your Backyard
D3-13. 5132 In New Orleans
D3-14. 5133 John Hardy
(vo, g), Josh White (vo, g).
Asch, New York City, April 19, 1944.
D3-15. MA 60 I've A Pretty Flowers
D3-16. MA 63 Don't Lie Buddy
Asch, New York City, April 23, 1944.
D3-17. 683-1 How Do You Know / Don't Mind The Weather
D3-18. 684-1 (What Are) Little Boys (Made Of) / Let Me Hold Your Hand (All For You) / Polly Wolly (Polly) Wee
D3-19. 685-1 Skip To My Lou / Christmas Song (It's Almost Day)
D3-20. 686-1 Little Sally Walker / Ha Ha Thisaway / Red Bird
(vo, g), Spnny Terry (h).
Stinson, New York City, April 25, 1944.
D3-21. MA 97 Outskirts Of Town
D3-22. Red River / Black Girl (In The Pines) / Don't Miss Your Water Blues
Stinson, New York City, April 25, 1944.
D3-23. MA 160 Blind Lemon (Memorial Record)
D3-24. MA 161 Leadbelly's Dance
Asch, New York City, April 25, 1944.
D3-25. MA 167 Mother's Blues (Little Children Blues)
D3-26. MA 168 Mo' Yet / (Little Boy) How Old Are You / There's A Limb On The Tree (Green Grass Growns All Around)
Complete Recorded Works Volume 4 1944. Document DOCD-5310 (1994)
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g), Sonny Terry (h), Woody Guthrie (g).
Stinson/Folkways, New York City, c. May, 1944.
D4-01. MA 196 In The Evenin' When The Sun Goes Down
D4-02. Easy Rider (See See Rider)
D4-03. We Shall Be Free
XX-XX. We Shall Be Free (Alt. Version) ** Too Late, Too Late Vol 6 **
D4-04. Keep Your Hands Off Her
Folkways, New York City, c. May, 1944.
D4-05. There's A Man Going Round Talking Names
D4-06. Red Bird
D4-07. Line 'Em
D4-08. T. B. Blues
D4-09. Jim Crow Blues
D4-10. Bourgeois Blues
D4-11. Army Life
D4-12. Mr. Hitler (Hitler Song)
D4-13. Juliana Johnson
D4-14. Jean Harlow
D4-15. Corn Bread Rough
D4-16. National Defense Blues
D4-17. Children's Blues (Little Children's Blues)
D4-18. The Blood Done Sign My Name (Ain't You Glad)
Smithsonian Folkways, New York City, c. July, 1944.
D4-19. Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Yea
(g, vo), Paul Mason Howard (zither).
Capitol, Hollywood, October 4, 1944.
D4-20. 397-4A Ella Speed
D4-21. 398-3A-1 Rock Island Line
D4-22. 399-1A Tell Me Baby
D4-23. 400-A1 Take This Mammer
(g, vo), Paul Mason Howard (zither).
Capitol, Hollywood, October 11, 1944.
D4-24. 413-3A Irene (Goddnight Irene)
D4-25. 414-2A Western Plain (When I Was A Cowboy)
D4-26. 415-2A On A Christmas Day
D4-27. 416-3A Backwater Blues
Capitol, Hollywood, October 27, 1944.
XX-XX. 457-2-alt Eagle Rock Rag (Alt. Take) ** Too Late, Too Late Vol 5 **
D4-28. 457-2A Eagle Rock Rag (Hot Piano Rag)
D4-29. 457-1 The Eagle Rocks
Complete Recorded Works Volume 5 1944-1946. Document DOCD-5311. (1994)
Capitol, Hollywood, October 27, 1944.
D5-01. 459-2A Sweet Mary Blues
D5-02. 460-3A Grasshoppers In My Pillow
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g), children singing, unknown tp, cl, ts, p, sb, dm
Standard (Oil Company) sponsored broadcast radio program, "Let It Shine On Me",
San Francisco, February 15, 1945
D5-03. Irene, Goodnight
D5-04. John Henry
D5-05. Boll Weevil
D5-06. When a Man's a Long Way from Home
D5-07. Good Morning Blues
D5-08. By and By When the Morning Comes
D5-09. Medley: Everytime I Feel the Spirit/Swing Low Sweet Chariot/They Hung Him on the Cross
D5-10. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
D5-11. Rock Island Line
D5-12. Julie Ann Johnson
D5-13. Haul Away Joe
D5-14. Christmas Is Coming
D5-15. We're in the Same Boat Brother
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g), Sonny Terry (h), Willie "The Lion" Smith (p), Brownie McGhee (g), George "Pops" Foster (sb).
Disc, New York City, June ,1946,
D5-16. D 385 Diggin' My Potatoes
D5-17. D 386 Defense Blues
D5-18. Easy Rider
D5-19. Pigmeat
D5-20. John Henry
XX-XX. 4, 5 And 9 ** Too Late, Too Late Vol 6 **
(vo, g), Woody Guthrie (vo, g), Cisco Houston (vo, g).
Disc, New York City October 1946
D5-21. D 669 Alabama Bound
D5-22. D 670 Ham and Eggs
D5-23. D 671 Yellow Gal
D5-24. D 672 Stew Ball
D5-25. D 673 Gray Goose
D5-26. D 674 Midnight Special
D5-27. Green Corn
D5-28. Fiddler's Dram
Complete Recorded Works Volume 6 1947. Document DOCD-5568 (1997)
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g, p, concertina), Anne Graham (vo), Sonny Terry (h), The Oleander Singers (vo).
New York City c. February, 1947.
D6-01. Yellow Gal
D6-02. You Can't Lose Me Cholly
D6-03. Laura
D6-04. Good Morning Blues
D6-05. Leaving Blues
D6-06. Big Fat Woman
D6-07. Gray Goose
D6-08. Pick A Bale of Cotton
D6-09. Take This Hammer
D6-10. Bring Me A Little Water Silvy
D6-11. Moaning
D6-12. Meeting At The Building
D6-13. We Shall Walk Through The Valley
D6-14. Irene, Good Night
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g, concertina, rapping on g), unknown (g).
New York City summer 1947
D6-15. Cotton Song
D6-16. Ha Ha This Way
D6-17. Sukey Jump (Win' Jammer)
D6-18. Black Girl
D6-19. Rock Island Line
D6-20. Blind Lemon (Song)
D6-21. Borrow Love And Go
D6-22. On A Monday (I'm Almost Done)
D6-23. Shorty George
D6-24. Duncan (And Brady)
D6-25. Old Riley
D6-26. Leavin' Blues (leavin' In The Morning)
D6-27. Pigmeat
New York City, 1947.
D6-28. If It Wasn't For Dicky
D6-29. Black Betty / Old Man / On A Monday
D6-30. Turn Yo' Radio On
D6-31. No Good Rider
D6-32. Howard Hughes
D6-33. New York City
D6-34. The Gallis Pole
D6-35. I'm Leavin' On The Morning Train
D6-36. Jean Harlow
D6-37. Good Mornin' Blues
"Live", New York Town Hall, New York City, September 6, 1947.
D6-38. Eagle Rock Rag
Complete Recorded Works Volume 7 1947-1949. Document DOCD-5640 (1999)
"This Is Jazz" Broadcast, New York City, June 14, 1947.
D7-01. Green Corn
D7-02. John Henry
LC, New York City, September 1948.
D7-03. 11717-B-22 Tell Me Baby, What's Wrong With You
D7-04. 11717-B-23 Noted Rider
D7-05. 11717-B-24 Take a Whiff On Me
D7-06. 11719-A-25 Ox-Driving Man
Huddie Ledbetter (vo, g), Sonny Terry (h, sp), Brownie McGhee (g, sp).
New York City, September/October, 1948.
D7-07. John Henry
D7-08. Pick A Bale Of Cotton
D7-09. Go Down, Old Hannah
D7-10. Ain't Going Down To The Well No More
D7-11. Shout On (Honey I'm All Out and Down)
D7-12. It Was Soon One Morning
D7-13. Whoa Back Buck
D7-14. Birmingham Jail
D7-15. Take This Hammer
D7-16. It Was Early One Mornin'
D7-17. Going Back to Mary (If I Had You Governor / Governor Pat Neff)
New York City, October, 1948.
D7-18. Come and Sit Down Beside Me
D7-19. Ha. Ha Thisaway
D7-20. You Can't Lose a Me, Charlie
D7-21. Rooster Crows at Midnight
D7-22. Skip to My Lou
D7-23. Parting Song (When You Smile-O)
WNEW broadcasts, Jazz Festival, New York City, February 19, 1949.
D7-24. Good Morning Blues
D7-25. Ain't Gonna Let You Worry My Life Anymore
D7-26. Pretty Papa
Huddie Ledbetter, Martha Ledbetter vo acc. Huddie Ledbetter (g).
"Live", University of Texas, Austin, TX, June 15, 1949.
D7-27. Old Ship Of Zion
D7-28. I Will Be So Glad When I Get Home
