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Leadbelly

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This article is about the person; for the biographical film, see Leadbelly (film)
Leadbelly, also known as Lead Belly (born Huddie William Ledbetter; January 20, 1889 (although this is debatable) - December 6, 1949), was an American folk and blues musician, notable for his clear and forceful singing, his virtuosity on the twelve string guitar, and the rich songbook of folk standards he introduced.

Although his most commonly-played instrument was the 12-string guitar, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, concertina, and accordion. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Leadbelly's date of birth is a matter of debate. The earliest year given is 1885, although other sources state that he was born in such years as 1888 and 1889. It is also debated on what day he was born. The most common date given is January 21, but other sources suggest that he was born on January 20, some suggesting that he was, in fact, born on January 29.

In either case, 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 laborer). Leadbelly would later claim that as a youth, he would "make it" with 8 to 10 women a night.

The Prison Years until \"Discovery\" by Lomax

Leadbelly's boastful spirit and penchant for the occasional skirmish sometimes led him into trouble with the law, and in 1918 he was thrown into a Texas jail for the second time, this time after killing a man in a fight. It is said that he was released seven years into his twenty year sentence after writing a song appealing to Governor Pat Neff for his freedom, but this is a legend: Leadbelly was actually released early due to good behavior.

In 1930, Leadbelly 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. 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"). However, there is no proof that this is why O.K. Allen released Leadbelly, and it is thought that he released him because of good behavior.

Leadbelly acquired his nickname while he was still in prison. He was called "Leadbelly" by his fellow inmates because of his physical toughness and strength, and also as a play on his last name, "Ledbetter". For instance, when one of his inmates tried to cut his head off him with a knife during his second prison term, he took the knife away and almost killed his attacker with it in turn. He then used the nickname as a pseudonym when he was recording, and the name stuck ever since.

Life after Prison

Indebted to the Lomaxes, Leadbelly 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 Corporation, 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.

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.

Legacy of song

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 "The 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).The Rolling Stones adapted "The Bourgeois Blues" for "When The Whip Comes Down". He has also been covered by Lonnie Donegan, Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Mungo Jerry, Paul King, Mark Lanegan, Michelle Shocked, British Sea Power, Rod Stewart, The White Stripes, and The Fall, among many others, and has been mentioned in songs by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Pearl Jam, Old Crow Medicine Show and Stone Temple Pilots. Pete Seeger wrote a song about Leadbelly.

Film

A Leadbelly biopic, titled Leadbelly, was released in 1976. It was directed by Gordon Parks, and stars Roger E. Mosley in the title role. The film chronicles Leadbelly's life until his final release from prison.

Songs

Selected discography

The Library of Congress recordings

Leadbelly's complete Library of Congress recordings, done by John and Alan Lomax from 1934 to 1943, were released in a six volume series by Rounder Records in the early-to-mid 1990s:

Other compilations

Samples

External links

References

White, Stuart, Aviva "Music in Our World" pp 196

 

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