Lead Belly

Lead Belly, born Huddie Ledbetter in Louisiana in the late 19th century, was one of the most influential American folk and blues musicians of the 20th century, celebrated for his powerful voice and mastery of the twelve-string guitar. His life was marked by hardship, including imprisonment, from which he emerged with a repertoire of songs that captured the harsh realities of the American South, work songs, spirituals and traditional ballads passed down and reworked through his own voice.

Though he never achieved major commercial success in his lifetime, Lead Belly became a central figure in the American folk revival after being recorded by folklorists, preserving songs such as «Goodnight, Irene», «In the Pines», «The Midnight Special» and «Black Betty» that would go on to shape generations of folk, blues, rock and country musicians.

His influence stretched far beyond his own era: he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his songs were later reinterpreted by countless artists, most famously by Nirvana, whose cover of «Where Did You Sleep Last Night» introduced his music to an entirely new audience decades after his death.