- Born
- 29 January 1885, Mooringsport, Louisiana, United States
- First work
- 1939: Negro Sinful Songs
- Peak
- 1935 to 1945 (estimated)
- Last work
- 1947: Midnight Special
- Died
- 6 December 1949, New York City, United States; aged 64; illness
Lead Belly
Music: singer, guitarist, songwriter, United States
Lead Belly was an American folk and blues musician famed for his vast song repertoire and mastery of the booming twelve-string acoustic guitar. Born in Louisiana, he absorbed Southern field hollers, prison work songs, and traditional dance tunes before being recorded in prison by folklorists John and Alan Lomax in the 1930s. Moving north to New York, he entered leftist folk music circles and performed alongside Woody Guthrie and Sonny Terry. His definitive interpretations preserved vital pieces of American folklore that later became standards for skiffle, rock, and folk performers worldwide. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease, he gave his final performances shortly before passing away in New York City in 1949.
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Signature works
- Goodnight, Irene song1936
- The Midnight Special song1936
- The Bourgeois Blues song1939
- Negro Sinful Songs album1939
- Where Did You Sleep Last Night? song1944
- Rock Island Line song1944
Honours
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1988
- Grammy Hall of Fame, 2002
Groups: Folkways Records, Musicraft Records.