Share

Lead Belly biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

  • NAME: Lead Belly
  • OCCUPATION: Murderer, Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer
  • BIRTH DATE: 1885 BCE
  • DEATH DATE: December 06, 1949
  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Mooringsport, Louisiana
  • PLACE OF DEATH: New York, New York
  • Originally: Huddie William Ledbetter
  • AKA: Huddie Ledbetter
  • AKA: Lead Belly

Best Known For

Lead Belly was a folk-blues singer, songwriter and guitarist whose ability to perform a vast repertoire of songs and notoriously violent life made him a legend.


Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Profile

Famed musician Lead Belly was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, on January 20, 1889. Lead Belly was imprisoned in Texas for murder in 1918. According to tradition, he won his early release in 1925 by singing a song for the governor of Texas. Lead Belly was imprisoned again, for attempted murder, in 1930. There, he was "discovered" by folklorists John Lomax and Alan Lomax, who were collecting songs for the Library of Congress. Subsequently, he published 48 songs.

© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.

Profile Connections
    Show More Connections
    Included In These Groups
    • Musical Monikers

      When musicians land big fame, there typically comes a moment of reinvention in which the "rock star" identity is born. This new persona often requires a new name, a way to differentiate between the private and public versions of themselves. Musical monikers take different forms, from the simple, last-name changes aimed at boosting celebrity appeal—like Steven Tyler—to the glamorized version of a childhood nickname—like Jay-Z. Musicians' nicknames and aliases tend to take on an identity all their own over time, often becoming as full of personality as the artists they represent.

      View group

      Musical Monikers 108 people in this group

    • Name Changers

      In entertainment, where the line between fiction and reality is often blurry, names are a crucial part of a celebrity's image. Stage names are often chosen to make an actor or musician's name easier to pronounce or remember, or simply to make it sounds more attractive. Here are famous celebrities who have changed their names.

      View group

      Name Changers 236 people in this group

    • Famous Aquarians 556 people in this group

    See all related groups

    ADVERTISEMENT
    39541 39541
    profile id: 39541
    profile name: Lead Belly
    profile occupation:
    related profile id: 39541
    related profile name: Lead Belly
    related profile occupation:
    related profile img: /imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/L/Leadbelly-39541-1-402.jpg
    related profile URL: /people/lead-belly-39541
    profile
    pop
    Your Connections

    Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.

    specific profile connection
    Your Friends' Connections
    specific friend connection

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Celebrity Connections

    Show More Connections
    Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!