Lead Belly News

Lead Belly Folk & Blues Festival 2009

2010-05-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Midnight Special Tribute Event

2009-07-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who follow the Lead Belly Foundation's twitter page/this blog, you know that we produced a Lead Belly themed event on July 11 in Seattle at Lo Fi Gallery. It featured live music by the Jelly Rollers, as well as stencils by Jonathan "Wakuda" Fisher and exclusive photos of Lead Belly from the archive. Above is a picture of one of the beautiful stencils.

We feel the event was a great success, and we look forward to continued events in Seattle and around the US celebrating Lead Belly's life and legacy!

A Very Original Cover of Midnight Special by the Creedence Clearwater Revival

2009-07-21T17:23:00.001-07:00

One Blogger Shares a Dream About Lead Belly

2009-07-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Click the title to go the blog.

Talking to Alvin Singh

2009-07-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

We took some time to sit down with Alvin Singh, Lead Belly's great nephew. He shared with us a wonderful story about Lead Belly that he heard as he traveled around the country to shoot the Lead Belly documentary, coming out this fall (the link is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X9svGYLXwA). Please take a few minutes and hear how Lead Belly touched one person's life.

HCTLG Feat Keith Harkin - Leadbelly

2009-06-25T12:27:00.001-07:00

HCTLG Feat Keith Harkin - Leadbelly

Shared via AddThis

This is a link to Keith Harkin playing his song entitled "Lead Belly."

The Man in Black and The Rock Island Line

2009-06-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

"The Rock Island Line" is a song written by Lead Belly in the 1930s. It is about the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad. The song was originally sang a Capella. Here is a great clip of a cover by Johnny Cash. The evolution of the song is evident through the big band arrangement.

Paul McCartney Playing "The Midnight Special" -- A Classic

2009-06-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

Billy Bragg redefines Lead Belly's Classic "Bourgeois Blues".

2009-06-22T16:14:00.001-07:00

Lead Belly originally wrote one of his most famous songs after encountering racism in Washington D.C. His experience is expressed in the song which later became a Library of congress recording. In 2006, England's "folk-punk-poet-bard" Billy Bragg decided, after dissaproval with the current U.S. Government under the George W. Bush Administration, to put his own spin to the song. "Bush War Blues" exhibits the heavy influence of Lead Belly and allows the classic song to remain timeless.
A link to the song can be found here: Billy Bragg "Bush War Blues"
-Jake Kennelly, The Lead Belly Foundation

Kurt Cobain and Mark Lanegan Sing Lead Belly

2009-06-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

Lead Belly Blues Festival video Part 1 of 4

2009-06-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

NW Folklife Festival Tribute To Lead Belly 2009

2009-06-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

This year the Northwest Folklife Festival in conjuction with the Lead Belly Foundation hosted a Tribute to Lead Belly concert in Seattle, WA on Memorial Day.

The festival was a sold out audience and many people could not get in due to a long line outside the concert's venue. Alvin Singh hosted the event and spoke about his work as curator for the Lead Belly Archives. " I think this concert was a great introduction to the many things to come in the Seattle area" said Singh. " My great uncle would have been proud to know so many fans turned out to hear his music even 60 years after his passing" Singh later explained.

A photo slideshow was presented and the audience even got a chance to watch Lead Belly perform in one of the three rare video footage's of him singing. The bands featured were from all different genres of music from Hawaiian blues, folk, rock and a jazz band that sang the final song once sung by Lead Belly before he closed his performances "Goodnight Irene".

www.Leadbelly.org

Lead Belly Blues Festival Article

2009-05-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Shreveport Times newspaper wrote a great article on the 1st annual Lead Belly Blues Festival on May 9th.

The article is written by longtime Lead Belly fan and journalist John Andrew Prime who has written extensively on the life and legacy of Huddie Ledbetter.

Here is his article:
Blues Festival Honors Music Icon

Lead Belly - Grey Goose

2009-04-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

JOan Baez sings House if the rising sun

2009-04-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

www.Leadbelly.org

Lead Belly Blues & Folk Festival 2009

2009-03-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

The Lead Belly Blues & Folk Festival was featured recently on Kijiji website. Check here to see the post.

May 9. 2009

Shreveport, LA

Lead Belly - Easy Rider

2009-02-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

www.leadbellybluesfestival.com

Lead Belly Blues & Folk Festival

2009-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Lead Belly Blues & Folk Festival is coming on May 9th at Shreveport, LA the birthplace of the "King of the 12-string Guitar".

This is the first annual folk & blues festival hosted by the city of Shreveport and Lead Belly's family relatives. The third largest city in Louisiana Shreveport is separated from Bossier City by the Red River. This music extravaganza will be an event you do not want to miss so get your ticket at Lead Belly Folk & Blue Festival.

Roots of Blues - Lead Belly

2009-02-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

Lead Belly Blues Festival GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!

LEAD BELLY:LIFE IN PICTURES COMMERCIAL

2008-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

Harry Belafonte and Lead Belly Archives Interview

2008-11-21T11:35:00.001-08:00

Recently the Lead Belly Archives and Filmhouse Inc. sat down with the internationally known Harry Belafonte who spoke about Lead Belly's influence on his performing career. The interview was the very next morning after the historic Presidential election night when Barack Obama accepted his victory as the newly President-elect of the United States of America.

Mr. Belafonte has many titles and he enjoys all of them including singer, actor, activist and musicologist. He spoke with Alvin Singh from the Lead Belly Archives about the time he first met Lead Belly and what sort of impact it had on his confidence as a performer on stage. He heard Lead Belly sing songs like "Sylvie", " Goodnight Irene" and " John Henry" live in the Village Vanguard when he was a young man looking for a career in show business.

The most compelling story he mentioned in the interview was about a recent visit to the infamous South African prison Robben Island that held Nelson Mandela for over 25 years. When Belafonte arrived at the prison one of the ex-prisoners told him that they sang the song "Sylvie" for many years without any interruptions from the prison guards because they enjoyed Belafonte songs as well. Belafonte then proceeded to inform the men who are know South African freedom heroes that he learned "Sylvie" from a man who spent many years in the southern prison farms of America....Mr. Huddie Ledbetter.

To catch more of this interview you can see it on the Lead Belly documentary that will be released in 2009.

2008-11-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

The Heart of Lead Belly

A Singer to Be Reckoned With

By Martin Jack Rosenblum

Take out the amateur, needlessly placed poems by Tyehimba Jess in mawkish, embarrassing praise of Lead Belly and we have a perfect book.Lead Belly: A Life inPictures (Steidl) is not merely a picture book at all, but is rife with brilliant essays and era-specific memorabilia that portray the complexity of the man who just might be America's finest folksinger.

Click here: The Heart of Lead Belly

Lead Belly Alabama Bound

2008-11-13T16:55:00.000-08:00

Lead Belly Documentary Diary

2008-10-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

So far for over 10 months Lead Belly Archives and Film house have been in production for the first full length biography of the "King of the 12-string guitar" Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter. In this course we have traveled to New York City and Washington DC to film various historians, musicians, and friends of Lead Belly. We will share with our reader many exclusive photos from this fun and interesting behind the scenes.

Here is a trailer:

WCT celebrates OKTOBERFEST with LEAD BELLY music

2008-09-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

Willits Community Theatre will celebrate the fall season with great beer, food, desserts and entertainment during its fourth annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 4.

"Every year has been a sellout and this year will certainly be the same, says WCT producer Stephanie Chatten.

"This year is so special you'll be hearing voices three to be exact and it won't be the beer talking. It's Voices 3 with special guests Bill Barksdale, David Lisle and Malakai Schindel."

Voices 3 features the vocal blend of Kate Black, Paula Murphy and Diane Smalley. "After the group came together in 2007, they considered quitting their day jobs and going on the road, but their acupuncture, chiropractic and family medicine clients wouldn't let them," Chatten says. "So they're signed on to entertain in Willits while enjoying one of life's great pleasures: the magic that comes from creating vocal harmonies together."

All three performers grew up with music in their lives. Smalley and Murphy were both raised in Minnesota; Black was reared in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Smalley has a degree in theater and dance, Murphy is a regularly featured actor with WCT, and Black majored in music education and voice in college.

"The songs they choose are varied," Chatten says, "from old tunes by Leadbelly and Sister Rosetta Tharpe all the way to the Wailin' Jennies, Joni Mitchell and Elton John songs that have a spark, wit or challenge

Country meets Pop with Lead Belly music

2008-09-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Bobby Bare Jr., Chris Masterson, The Bitter Spills (9 p.m.); Los Mescaleros (6 p.m.) at Casbeers at the Church

Country meets pop meets indie rock meets twists and turns in Bare Jr. Bare and his band will do double duty. The band has an Austin City Limits Festival set in the afternoon and then will drive south to play songs from Bare's various CDs. Chris Masterson, part of Bare's band (and a member of Son Volt) also will do some songs. And don't get there late because openers The Bitter Spills make some very cool music. The duo from Minneapolis, on the road with a CD called "Folksong Favorites," has a repertoire that finds originals bumping up against selections from Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt and ZZ Top. When The Bitter Spills sing and play them, the newest songs in the set sound as if they're from the '20 and '30s. The Mescaleros do their San Antonio rock/blues for happy hour in the Café.

Family keeps Lead Belly’s legend alive

2008-09-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

Family keeps Lead Belly’s legend alive
By: ERIN EDGEMON, Business Editor
Posted: Sunday, September 7, 2008 8:17 am
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Queen Tiny Robinson and Tonya Singh lead the Lead Belly Foundation. The organization dedicated to preserving the music of legendary blues and folk musician Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, hopes to have a music archive and museum open in Murfreesboro within five years.“When you begin to see how people feel about his music, all you want to do is continue to share it,” said Tanya Singh, director of the Lead Belly Foundation.Lead Belly’s niece and Singh’s grandmother Queen Tiny Robinson formed the foundation in 1992 to assure the long-term access to Lead Belly’s music collections and memorabilia and to preserve his gravesite in Mooringsport, La.Four years ago, the foundation expanded its mission and began awarding music scholarships to low-income school-age children. So far, 12 scholarships have been awarded nationally. “So many children want music lessons but their parents can’t afford it,” Singh said.The scholarships are awarded to any child with at least a C grade-point average who has the desire to play any music instrument. The student must have two references, and the parents or guardian must commit to taking their child to the music lessons.As of right now, there are no monetary or time restrictions on the scholarships.Donations also are made to school districts lacking funds for music education. Contributions have been made to Nashville Metro Schools and Shreveport, La. area schools.

The Lead Belly Foundation also preserves the musician’s legacy through music festivals and is the presenting sponsor of the third annual Boro Blues Fest slated for Sept. 12-13. Singh said the foundation wants to be a part of bringing more entertainment and culture to Murfreesboro.The inaugural Lead Belly Festival will take place in Shreveport, La. near the musician’s birthplace. The May 9 festival will feature such performers as Bobby Rush and Kenny Neal.“Doing a festival in his honor has always been a dream of my grandmother’s,” Singh said.

Singh said the Lead Belly Foundation also is in talks with Central Middle School for the creation of an after-school music program.Other foundation goals include a health initiative to promote and support health care for musicians since Lead Belly suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease and doctors felt he would have lived longer with better healthcare, Singh said.

For further reading Family keeps Lead Belly’s legend alive

On the Web:www.leadbelly.org

Building on the Lead Belly Legacy

2008-09-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Building on the Lead Belly Legacy
By Andrew Mullins

“Songs just like being around some folks more than others.” So writes Tom Waits in the introduction to "Lead Belly: A Life in Pictures." Songs must have adored being around Huddie Ledbetter, who performed and recorded hundreds of them as Lead Belly, some among the best known melodies in American music: “Goodnight, Irene,” “Midnight Special,” “Rock Island Line.”
During the 1930s and 40s, the blues singer and his booming twelve-string Stella guitar churned out blues and barrelhouse songs, folk ballads and children’s ditties, work songs and field hollers, square-dance music and cowboy songs, spirituals and protest songs. The breadth of material is probably unequaled in American roots music, and Lead Belly’s odyssey from the cotton fields of Louisiana to incarceration for murder to the stages of New York with father-and-son folklorists John and Alan Lomax is the stuff of irresistible legend.

Is that legend a little faded today? Like his friend Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly has influenced countless musicians over the years: Pete Seeger, Lonnie Donegan, Van Morrison, Kurt Cobain, the White Stripes. “No Lead Belly, no Beatles,” said George Harrison. Even Sinatra recorded “Goodnight, Irene.” But while Lead Belly may have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, such recognition is no guarantee that much more than his colorful nickname–acquired during a term in Sugarland Prison in Texas –is known beyond nostalgic folk and blues circles these days.

Alvin Singh II, Lead Belly’s great-nephew, had no definitive answer for the question during a visit this past summer to the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival. But the 29-year-old Seattle resident is working hard, through the Lead Belly Foundation and Lead Belly Archives, to make sure his great uncle’s historical importance isn’t forgotten, and the music continues to exert its influence and magic.
“It’s interesting in the YouTube era,” says Singh, “to see videos of people singing ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’, and saying they got this from Nirvana, and then people leaving comments: ‘That’s not Nirvana–do your research, that’s Lead Belly.’ And then somebody saying, ‘That’s not Lead Belly, that’s originally an Appalachian song.’ That kind of trickling down and discussion is what I’d like to spark.”

Singh is the grandson of Tiny Robinson, Lead Belly’s niece. As a teenager, Robinson lived for awhile with the singer and his wife Martha and she has served as genial caretaker of the Lead Belly legacy for much of her life. In the 1990s, when Tiny and her husband were moving from New York to Tennessee, she asked family friend John Reynolds, a Lead Belly enthusiast and researcher, if he would come and take a look at a trunk stored in the basement of their Brooklyn home. The trunk had been passed down from Martha Ledbetter, and what Reynolds found in it was enough to send any historian’s heart to pounding. Martha had saved everything. A treasure trove of photographs, letters, program bills, souvenirs, contracts–even a bottle of Chanel No. 5 Lead Belly had brought back for his wife from a tour of Paris. Robinson and Reynolds meticulously organized the memorabilia into portfolios in the hope of publishing a scrapbook. After ten years fruitlessly shopping the project around, the co-editors finally landed a deal with the German photography-book publisher, Steidl.

The result is an unlikely and welcome surprise for early blues fans, who usually have to settle for one or two pictures of their heroes at best. Lead Belly: A Life in Pictures features hundreds of beautifully reproduced photographs, a copy of Lead Belly’s pardon from Texas governor Pat Neff and the notoriously lopsided contract with John Lomax. Written contributions from the late Lead Belly collector Sean Killeen, Pete Seeger, Martin Scorsese and Studs Terkel, among many others, stand alongside fascinating ephemera and official records of Lead Belly’s life. These include FBI files that detail lashings Lead Belly received in Angola State Penitentiary and a list where his name appears alongside other entertainers suspected of un-American propaganda activities.

Part of the book provides counterbalance to the often sensationalized aspects of the Lead Belly legend, particularly the portrait of him as a dangerous ex-convict typified by the headlines of the day, such as the New York Herald Tribune proclaiming “Sweet Singer of the Swamplands Here to Do a Few Tunes Between Homicides” or Life magazine’s bluntly racist “Bad Nigger Makes Good Minstrel.”
“His [crimes] were in self-defense,” says Singh, who pens an essay called “Jailhouse Blues,” taking on the degrading image of his great uncle performing for white audiences in prison stripes during those first appearances in New York. “In the book, we didn’t want to hide from the fact that he did go to jail, but we also wanted to show that there was another side of him.”

As such, a portion of the book is a family affair, with mementos and stories–wedding photos, personal telegrams, letters discussing Huddie’s medical condition–being shared for the first time. Singh’s father, Dr. Alvin Singh, contributes a chapter recalling his childhood in a New York apartment with Lead Belly and Martha living upstairs. He would sit on his uncle’s knee while the great folksinger, quietly succumbing to Lou Gehrig’s disease, would play for him. The young Singh would wake “Unka Huddie” up in the morning requesting a song, and would have a command performance at night before bed from the “King of the Twelve-String Guitar.”
But soon Huddie could barely strum. The photos from this period show a family relaxing at home, caught smiling by the camera, but Lead Belly is now in a wheelchair, the proud face gaunt, the flesh and eyes tired.

After his death in 1949, only “a piece of iron pipe jutting up from a barren plot marked Lead Belly’s grave,” recalls John Reynolds of his 1955 visit to the singer’s burial ground at Shiloh Baptist Church in Mooringsport, Louisiana. Decades later, the Lead Belly Foundation was formed to provide a proper headstone. The Foundation has today expanded to fund music scholarships and after-school music programs for kids, many of whom “wouldn’t normally get a chance to pick up an instrument and play,” says Singh.

Singh is currently building up the Lead Belly Archives in Nashville, preserving all of the original materials in what will ultimately become a center for research. He has opened a Seattle office and hopes to establish internships through the University of Washington, “so that students can help out and be a part of it.” Digitization of the collection will hopefully help it grow into to a travelling exhibit, he explains, as was done by the Woody Guthrie Archives and Smithsonian Institution for an exhibit called “This Land Is Your Land” in 2000.
Plans for a video presentation of the collection have also quickly expanded into a feature-length documentary being produced by Film House out of Nashville and slated for release next year. “Just like the book, we wanted to show a side that people hadn’t seen before,” says Singh, who is an advisor to the production team. “So we immediately recorded my grandmother and then went to Pete Seeger, Oscar Brand, the Lomax family, historians at the Library of Congress and Smithsonian. First we wanted to get the people who knew him and were friends. And that was humbling. This book is just here in print. But when we said, ‘OK, let’s go to New York and film Pete,’ and there he is live, direct–walking in there, everyone felt like a 12-year-old, waiting to hear a story.”
Nearly six decades after Lead Belly’s death, Singh is now a part of the story himself, working full-time on his great uncle’s legacy. His grandmother, Tiny Robinson, watches, no doubt recognizing something of herself in Singh’s efforts.
“She’s seeing me putting the pieces all over again into different settings, and she’s happy for me. She’s very supportive and I still ask her questions. She said he would be proud of all of this, and that’s ultimately what I want to do.”

Go to http://www.centrum.org/blues/2008/09/building-on-the.html#more

NEW LEAD BELLY SHIRTS HAVE ARRIVED

2008-09-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

LEAD BELLY FOUNDATION STARTS ONLINE BLOG

2008-09-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

CHECK http://www.leadbelly.org/ FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LEAD BELLY FOUNDATION.

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