Leadbelly
Leadbelly's Last Sessions Vol. 1
Huddie William Ledbetter, also known as Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer recognized for his powerful vocals, mastery of the twelve-string guitar, and his introduction of popular folk standards such as "In the Pines", "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil".
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Huddie William Ledbetter, also known as Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer recognized for his powerful vocals, mastery of the twelve-string guitar, and his introduction of popular folk standards such as "In the Pines", "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil".
He often played the twelve-string guitar but was also skilled in playing other instruments such as the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and windjammer. In some of his recordings, he would sing while clapping his hands or stomping his foot. Lead Belly's repertoire spanned various genres including gospel, blues, and folk music, with a wide range of themes, including women, alcohol, racism, prison life, cowboys, sailors, cattle herding, and dancing.
He even wrote songs about prominent figures in the news such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Jean Harlow, Jack Johnson, the Scottsboro Boys, and Howard Hughes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2008, and although many people spelled his name as "Leadbelly", he spelled it as "Lead Belly", which is also the spelling used by the Lead Belly Foundation and on his tombstone.