American Folk Blues Singer, Songwriter, and Guitarist. Musician from childhood, Lead Belly played accordion, 6 and 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 for murder, after serving six years, he was pardoned by the Governor of Texas, who had visited the prison an heard him sing. Resuming a life of drifting, Lead Belly was imprisoned for attempted murder in 1930 in the Angola, Louisiana prison farm. There he was discovered by the folklorists John and Alan Lomax, who were collecting songs for the Library of Congress. A campaign spearheaded by the Lomaxes secured his release in 1934 and he embarked on a concert tour of eastern colleges. Subsequently, he published 48 songs and commentary in 1936 about Depression-era conditions of blacks, recorded extensively and from 1937 when he settled in New York City performed for political causes. He worked with Woody Guthrie, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and others as the Headline Singers, performed on radio and appeared in a short film. In 1945, shortly before his death, he gave a concert in Paris. Lead Belly died penniless, but within six months his song "Goodnight, Irene" had become a million-record hit for the singing group "The Weavers," along with other pieces from his repertoire, among them "The Midnight Special" and "Rock Island Line," which became a standard. In 1970, he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1976, a biographical film was made about his life titled "Leadbelly." In 1988, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Early Influence category.
American Folk Blues Singer, Songwriter, and Guitarist. Musician from childhood, Lead Belly played accordion, 6 and 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 for murder, after serving six years, he was pardoned by the Governor of Texas, who had visited the prison an heard him sing. Resuming a life of drifting, Lead Belly was imprisoned for attempted murder in 1930 in the Angola, Louisiana prison farm. There he was discovered by the folklorists John and Alan Lomax, who were collecting songs for the Library of Congress. A campaign spearheaded by the Lomaxes secured his release in 1934 and he embarked on a concert tour of eastern colleges. Subsequently, he published 48 songs and commentary in 1936 about Depression-era conditions of blacks, recorded extensively and from 1937 when he settled in New York City performed for political causes. He worked with Woody Guthrie, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and others as the Headline Singers, performed on radio and appeared in a short film. In 1945, shortly before his death, he gave a concert in Paris. Lead Belly died penniless, but within six months his song "Goodnight, Irene" had become a million-record hit for the singing group "The Weavers," along with other pieces from his repertoire, among them "The Midnight Special" and "Rock Island Line," which became a standard. In 1970, he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1976, a biographical film was made about his life titled "Leadbelly." In 1988, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Early Influence category.
Inscription
A Louisiana Legend
Has Been Duly Elected To:
The Songwriters Hall of Fame
New York 1972
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville, TN. 1980
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
New York 1988
The Southern Songwriters Hall of Fame
Shreveport, LA. 1989
Northwest Louisiana Hall of Fame
Bossier City, LA. 1991
King of The 12 String Guitar
Family Members
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