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Leadbelly
Description
Based on the text provided, here is a summary of the information regarding **Lead Belly** (born Huddie William Ledbetter):
### **Biography & Life**
* **Born:** 1888 (New Orleans, Louisiana).
* **Died:** 1949 (New York City).
* **Background:** An American folk and blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He began his career in Louisiana and later performed in Texas and New York.
* **Legal Issues:** He was convicted of murder and served time in Louisiana prisons. Later, he was pardoned by the Governor of Texas.
* **Legacy:** He is recognized as a significant figure in folk and blues music and was inducted into the **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988**.
### **Musical Style & Instruments**
* **Genres:** Country blues, folk music, prison songs.
* **Instruments:** He is particularly famous for playing the **12-string guitar** (earning him the title "King of the Twelve-String Guitar") and the **accordion** (associated with the African American Button Accordion tradition).
* **Collaborations:** He frequently recorded with the **Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet**.
### **Key Songs & Recordings**
He recorded 26 songs for Victor Records in 1940. Some of his most famous tracks include:
* *"Midnight Special"*
* *"Goodnight, Irene"*
* *"Take This Hammer"*
* *"The House of the Rising Sun"*
* *"Pick a Bale of Cotton"*
* *"Cotton Fields"*
* *"The Bourgeois Blues"*
* *"Black Betty"*
### **Discography & Compilations**
The text lists several notable album releases and compilations:
* **When the Sun Goes Down series, vol. 5 (2003):** A collection of his 1940 Victor recordings.
* **The Definitive Lead Belly (2008):** A 50-song retrospective on two CDs.
* **Leadbelly - American Folk & Blues Anthology (2013):** 75 songs on three CDs.
* **American Epic: The Best of Lead Belly (2017):** Released by Lo-Max, Sony Legacy, Third Man.
* **Smithsonian Folkways Collection:** Various releases, including remastered compilations from 2015.
* **Folkways: The Original Vision (Woody and LeadBelly)**
### **External Recognition & Honors**
* Inducted into the **Louisiana Music Hall of Fame**.
* Has an entry in the **Handbook of Texas Online**.
* Featured in the **Grammy Museum** tribute.
* Subject of the film *Lead Belly* (1976).
* Covered by various artists, including Nirvana (*Come As You Are* sample, though specifically *"Where Did You Sleep Last Night"* is noted in his discography) and others.
### **Sources & References**
The information is drawn from various academic and archival sources, including:
* *The Life and Legend of Leadbelly* (Wolfe & Lornell, 1992).
* *Blues - A Regional Experience* (Eagle & LeBlanc, 2013).
* *The Blues Encyclopedia* (Laberge, 2006).
* *Encyclopedia of Louisiana Musicians* (Tomko, 2020).
* Discographies maintained by the Smithsonian Institution and Discogs.
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