“This here song,” the late Huddie (“Lead Belly”) Ledbetter used to explain, “was made about a man an’ a girl was walkin’ along one Sunday evenin’. Jus’ befo’ this girl an’ man got to de house, she ...

Many Texas musicians have become legendary figures for not only their great talents as musicians but also for their colorful lives. Huddie Ledbetter, known to his fans as “Leadbelly,” was a pioneer ...

On Dec. 14, 1941, Huddie Ledbetter recorded a song called "Old Man." Ledbetter, a singer best known as Leadbelly, is most widely remembered for "Goodnight Irene," "Midnight Special," and "Rock Island ...

"Bring Judgment Day: Reclaiming Lead Belly's Truths from Jim Crow Lies," by Sheila Curran Bernard. The wedding of Huddie and Martha Ledbetter on Jan. 20, 1935 included Alan Lomax, third from the left, ...

CC0 Usage Conditions ApplyClick for more information. Smithsonian Folkways producer and archivist Jeff Place takes us through a history of the singer's biggest hits as he discusses the importance of ...

Side One: Dick’s Holler; Silver City Bound; Take This Hammer; Black Betty; The Highest Mountain. Side Two: Goodnight Irene; De Gray Goose; Black Girl; Jolly O The Ransom; Yellow Girl.