Lead Belly
| Lead Belly | |
|---|---|
Lead Belly playing an accordion
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Huddie William Ledbetter |
| Also known as |
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| Born |
January 20, 1889 Mooringsport, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | December 6, 1949 (aged 60) New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1903–1949 |
| Website | leadbelly |
| Notable instruments | |
| Stella twelve-string guitar | |
Huddie William Ledbetter /ˈhjuːdi/ (January 20, 1889 – December 6, 1949) was an American folk and blues musician notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced. He is best known as Lead Belly. Though many releases list him as "Leadbelly", he himself wrote it as "Lead Belly", which is also the spelling on his tombstone and the spelling used by the Lead Belly Foundation.
Lead Belly usually played a twelve-string guitar, but he also played the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and "windjammer" (diatonic accordion). In some of his recordings he sang while clapping his hands or stomping his foot.
Lead Belly's songs covered a wide range, including gospel music; blues about women, liquor, prison life, and racism; and folk songs about cowboys, prison, 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 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
Lead Belly was born Huddie William Ledbetter on the Jeter Plantation near Mooringsport, Louisiana, in January of either 1888 or 1889. The 1900 United States Census lists "Hudy Ledbetter" as 12 years old, born January 1888, and the 1910 and 1930 censuses also give his age as corresponding to a birth in 1888. The 1940 census lists his age as 51, with information supplied by wife, Martha. However, in April 1942, when Ledbetter filled out his World War II draft registration, he gave his birth date as January 23, 1889, and his birthplace as Freeport, Louisiana. His grave marker bears the date given on his draft registration.
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