Famous lyrics by »
Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced, including his renditions of "In the Pines", "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil". Lead Belly usually played a twelve-string guitar, but he also played the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and windjammer. In some of his recordings, he sang while clapping his hands or stomping his foot. Lead Belly's songs covered a wide range of genres, including gospel music, blues, and folk music, as well as a number of topics, including women, liquor, prison life, racism, cowboys, work, sailors, cattle herding, and dancing. He also wrote songs about people in the news, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Jean Harlow, Jack Johnson, the Scottsboro Boys and Howard Hughes. Lead Belly was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Though many releases credit him as "Leadbelly", he wrote his name as "Lead Belly". This is the spelling on his tombstone and is used by the Lead Belly Foundation.
Update this biography »
Complete biography of Huddie Ledbetter »
0 fans
Albums by Huddie LedbetterSort:By AlbumA - Z
Blues Best: Greatest Hits [2018]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Goodnight Irene | 2:33 |
Where Did You Sleep Last Night | 3:02 |
How Long | 2:10 |
John Hardy | 3:14 |
Masterworks [2018]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Midnight Special | 2:06 |
The Gallis Pole | 3:12 |
John Hardy | 3:14 |
Goodnight Irene | 7:13 |
Big Fat Woman | 1:22 |
Rock Island Line | 3:17 |
Shine on Me | 3:52 |
Skip to My Lou | 3:28 |
C'est Bon, les Oeugs (Scrambled Egg Song) | 3:58 |
Backwater Blues | 2:49 |
Ella Louise | 2:22 |
Old Ship of Zion | 1:48 |
Borrow Love Blues | 1:19 |
The Only Folk Collection You'll Ever Need [2014]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Rock Island Line | 2:37 |
Lonesome Whistle: An Anthology of American Railroad Songs [2012]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
The Midnight Special | 3:03 |
Rock Island Line | 2:36 |
King of the 12-String Guitar [1991]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Shorty George |
Easy Rider [1953]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Bourgeois Blues | 2:17 |
Share your thoughts on Huddie Ledbetter with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In