Lead Belly

TheinfluentialLouisianabluesman,LeadBelly,wroteandperformedsomeofthebest-lovedsongsofthetwentiethcentury,including"TheMidnightSpecial,""RockIslandLine"andhissignaturesong,"Goodnight,Irene,"whichbecameaninternationalhitin1950,eightmonthsafterhisdeath.JohnA.Lomax,theesteemedLibraryofCongressfolkmusicanthropologist,discoveredLeadBellyservingtime(forassaultandmurder)attheinfamousLouisianaStatePenitentiaryatAngolain1934.HeimmediatelysawthatLeadBellywasawalkinganthologyofAfrican-Americanmusic,andarrangedforhimtocometoNewYork,wherehecreatedasensation.ReportersfollowedLeadBellyeverywhere,theatersclamoredtobookhimandcelebritiesthrongedtohisconcerts.Hisinfluenceonalatergenerationofpopularmusicianswasmassive:KeithRichards,JimiHendrix,JerryGarcia,VanMorrison,RobertPlantandBeckhaveallpaidtheirrespects.LeadBelly:ALifeinPicturesisatreasuretroveofrare,unpublishedphotographs,newsclippings,concertprograms,personalcorrespondence(includinglettersfromWoodyGuthrie),recordalbums,awardsandothermemorabiliaretrievedonlyrecentlyfromabasementtrunkinNewYork.LeadBelly,bornHuddieLedbetteronaLouisianafarmin1888,woninternationalfameasaninterpreterofAfrican-Americanfolksongsandblues.For15yearsheperformedfolksongs,spirituals,bluesandballadstoenthusiasticaudiencesatnightclubs,politicalrallies,universities,concerthallsandprivateparties.In1988LeadBellywasinductedintotheRock&RollHallofFame,wherehewasthesubjectofamajorretrospectivein2004.