Leadbelly

USA

Born: 29 January 1885

Died: 06 December 1949

Years Active: 40

Genres: Folk, Blues

Styles: Country Blues, Acoustic Blues, Folk-Blues, Folk Revival, Traditional Folk, Folksongs, Field Recordings, Songster

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Huddie Ledbetter, known as Leadbelly, was a unique figure in the American popular music of the 20th century. Ultimately, he was best remembered for a body of songs that he discovered, adapted, or wrote, including "Goodnight, Irene," "Rock Island Line," "The Midnight Special," and "Cotton Fields." But he was also an early example of a folksinger whose background had brought him into direct contact with the oral tradition by which folk music was handed down, a tradition that, by the early years of the century, already included elements of commerc...

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