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The following is a partial list of songs performed by Lead Belly. Lead Belly, born Huddie Ledbetter, was an American folk and blues musician active in the 1930s and 1940s.
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Huddie William Ledbetter, 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", "Pick a Bale of Cotton", "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil".
"Goodnight, Irene" or "Irene, Goodnight," is a 20th-century American folk standard, written in 3
4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1933. A version recorded by The Weavers was a #1 hit in 1950. Pete Seeger of The Weavers has characterized it as Lead Belly's "theme song."
"Black Betty" is a 20th-century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources say it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material.
"The Bourgeois Blues" is a blues song by American folk and blues musician Lead Belly. It was written in June 1937 in response to the discrimination and segregation that he faced during a visit to Washington, D.C. to record for Alan Lomax. It rails against racism, the Jim Crow laws, and the conditions of contemporary African Americans in the southern United States. The song was recorded in December 1938 for the Library of Congress and re-recorded in 1939 for commercial release.
Ledbetter Heights is the debut album by American blues solo artist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, released on September 19, 1995, when Shepherd was 18 years old. The album's name refers to a neighborhood in Shepherd's hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. It also featured lead singer Corey Sterling on vocals.
"He Never Said a Mumblin' Word" is an American Negro Spiritual folk song.
Leadbelly is a 1976 film chronicling the life of blues singer Huddie Ledbetter. The film was directed by Gordon Parks, and starred Roger E. Mosley in the title role. The film focuses on the troubles of Lead Belly's youth in the segregated South including his time in prison, and his efforts to use his music to gain release.
"Rock Island Line" is an American folk song. Ostensibly about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it appeared as a folk song as early as 1929. The first recorded performance of "Rock Island Line" was by inmates of the Arkansas Cummins State Farm prison in 1934.
"Take a Whiff on Me" is an American folk song, with references to the use of cocaine. It is also known as "Take a Whiff ", "Cocaine Habit", and "Cocaine Habit Blues".
"Mr. Hitler" or "Hitler Song"' is a blues song written by Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter about German chancellor Adolf Hitler released in 1942.
Looking for a Home is an album by American folk singer Odetta, released in 2001. It consists of songs written and/or performed by Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly. It was her 18th and final studio album.
Best of the M.C. Records Years 1999–2005 is a compilation album by American folk singer Odetta, released in 2006. It contains songs she recorded on the M.C. Records label.
Harriet Elizabeth "Hally" Wood was an American musician, singer and folk musicologist. She worked with John and Alan Lomax and participated in the publication of songbooks for the works of artists like Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie. She also performed as a singer and recorded solo and collaborative albums with folk singers such as Pete Seeger.
These are My Roots: Clifford Jordan Plays Leadbelly is an album featuring jazz saxophonist Clifford Jordan performing tunes associated with Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter which was recorded in 1965 and released on the Atlantic label.
American Epic: The Best of Lead Belly is a compilation of Lead Belly's first commercial recordings made in 1935 and released in 2017 to accompany the award-winning American Epic documentary film series. The album was released as a 14-track download and a vinyl LP.
Michael David Ledbetter was an American blues singer and guitarist.
Leadbelly Sings Folk Songs is a remastered compilation album of American folk songs sung by legend Leadbelly accompanied by Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, and Sonny Terry, originally recorded by Moses Asch in the 1940s and re-released in 1989 by Folkways Records.
Negro Sinful Songs is a 1939 album by Lead Belly, produced by Alan Lomax. On April 1, 1939, Lead Belly had a recording session with Musicraft Records. There were a total of 14 takes, with 10 of them being selected for the album. Negro Sinful Songs was originally released as a five-disc collection of 10" 78 rpm records, catalog number Musicraft Album 31.
Negro Folk Songs is an album by Lead Belly, recorded in 1943 and released as an album in early 1946.