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Listen to Lead Belly, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!

Lead Belly

Blues

View Artist

Top Songs By Lead Belly

Listen to Big Fat Woman by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Big Fat WomanLead Belly
Listen to Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Black Girl) by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Black Girl)Lead Belly
Listen to Bring Me a Little Water, Silvy by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Bring Me a Little Water, SilvyLead Belly
Listen to Irene (Goodnight Irene) by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Irene (Goodnight Irene)Lead Belly
Listen to Black Betty by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Black BettyLead Belly
Listen to Midnight Special by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Midnight SpecialLead Belly
Listen to Cotton Fields by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Cotton FieldsLead Belly
Listen to Take This Hammer by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Take This HammerLead Belly
Listen to Packin' Trunk by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Packin' TrunkLead Belly
Listen to Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (2023 Remastered) by Lead Belly, see lyrics, music video & more!
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (2023 Remastered)Lead Belly

More albums from Lead Belly

Listen to American Epic: The Best of Lead Belly by Lead Belly
ALBUMAmerican Epic: The Best of Lead BellyLead Belly
Listen to Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection by Lead Belly
ALBUMLead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways CollectionLead Belly
Listen to Live - New York, 1947 & Austin, Texas, 1949 by Lead Belly
ALBUMLive - New York, 1947 & Austin, Texas, 1949Lead Belly
Listen to Take This Hammer - The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Remastered) by Lead Belly
ALBUMTake This Hammer - The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Remastered)Lead Belly
Listen to Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 7 (1947-1949) by Lead Belly
ALBUMComplete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 7 (1947-1949)Lead Belly
Listen to Lead Belly Sings for Children by Lead Belly
ALBUMLead Belly Sings for ChildrenLead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly ARC & Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 3 (1935) by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbelly ARC & Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 3 (1935)Lead Belly
Listen to Lead Belly's Last Sessions by Lead Belly
ALBUMLead Belly's Last SessionsLead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly Vol. 2 1940-1943 by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbelly Vol. 2 1940-1943Lead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly Vol. 3 1939-1947 by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbelly Vol. 3 1939-1947Lead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly Vol. 5 1939-1947 by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbelly Vol. 5 1939-1947Lead Belly
Listen to King of the 12-String Guitar by Lead Belly
ALBUMKing of the 12-String GuitarLead Belly
Listen to Midnight Special - The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 1 (Recorded by Alan Lomax) by Lead Belly
ALBUMMidnight Special - The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 1 (Recorded by Alan Lomax)Lead Belly
Listen to Folkways: The Original Vision by Woody Guthrie & Lead Belly
ALBUMFolkways: The Original VisionWoody Guthrie & Lead Belly
Listen to Lead Belly Sings Folk Songs by Lead Belly
ALBUMLead Belly Sings Folk SongsLead Belly
Listen to The Legendary Leadbelly by Lead Belly
ALBUMThe Legendary LeadbellyLead Belly
Listen to Good Night Irene by Lead Belly
ALBUMGood Night IreneLead Belly
Listen to In the Shadow of the Gallows Pole by Lead Belly
ALBUMIn the Shadow of the Gallows PoleLead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbellyLead Belly
Listen to Leadbelly by Lead Belly
ALBUMLeadbellyLead Belly

Artist Playlists

Lead Belly Essentials
Lead Belly Essentials
Blues shouts, folk energy, and proto-rock from an American icon.
Lead Belly Essentials
Inspired by Lead Belly
Inspired by Lead Belly
Intense wails and fevered strumming by rock and folk descendants.
Inspired by Lead Belly

About Lead Belly

Listen to Lead Belly, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Hometown
Mooringsport, LA, United States
Born
January 20, 1888
Genre
Blues
Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter is among the most important stylists and larger-than-life figures in folk and blues music history. His trademark songs—some original, some traditional—have become standards across numerous genres. Born in 1888 in Louisiana, Ledbetter learned his way around the guitar, accordion, harmonica, and bass before he was a teenager. He developed his abilities through performing in the red-light district while living in Shreveport in the early 1900s. Ledbetter arrived at his mature folk-blues style at the turn of the 1910s while palling around with fellow street musician Blind Lemon Jefferson in Dallas, where he focused his attention on accompanying himself on the 12-string guitar. Following this period, Ledbetter’s career was complicated by periods in and out of prison on murder and attempted murder charges. While serving time in the Louisiana State Penitentiary in the early 1930s, he was documented on recording for the first time by ethnomusicologists John and Alan Lomax. The singer and guitarist’s reputation grew after spending time in New York City during the late ’30s and early ’40s, as the young luminaries of the city’s folk scene—Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger among them—revered his lonesome singing voice and walking-bass-driven guitar parts (often played on down-tuned strings). During this time, he heightened his public profile through radio appearances and by making records for Asch, Folkways, and RCA. Ledbetter made one final big move in 1944—to Los Angeles, where he would track his final recordings after signing to Capitol Records. He passed away from ALS in 1948. In the decades following his death, Lead Belly’s songs would become hits or repertoire staples for folk revivalists (The Weavers), pop vocalists (Frank Sinatra), skiffle bands (Lonnie Donegan), and rock ’n’ rollers (Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nirvana), helping to deepen his legacy.
Influenced by Lead BellyLead Belly has influenced the music of Taj Mahal, The Kinks, Bruce Springsteen and more.
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Taj Mahal
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The Kinks
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Bruce Springsteen
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Van Morrison
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Beck
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Pete Seeger
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Bob Dylan
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Keb' Mo'
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Roger McGuinn
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Led Zeppelin

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