Recommended Materials
LEAD BELLY
Made from recordings in 1935. Columbia.
LEADBELLY: VOLUMES 1-3
Three volume series of Lead Belly recordings made for Moses Asch, founder of Folkways Records, between 1941 and 1948. Smithsonian Folkways, 1998.
BRIDGING LEAD BELLY
Recordings collected from two different sessions (1938 and 1946), this compilation “serves as a bridge between Lead Belly’s formative experiences from the South, and the shaping of his career up North into an artist”. Rounder, 1999.
A VISION SHARED: A Tribute To Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly
Includes performances by Sweet Honey In The Rock, John Mellencamp, U2, and others. Smithsonian Folkways, 1988.
LILS MACKINTOSH: BLACK GIRL
Includes many of Ledbetter classics recorded by Lils Mackintosh and described as - the true blues feeling combined with the solid modern arrangements, the fine solos and a superb Lils Macintosh”. Quintessence Records, 1999.
NIRVANA: UNPLUGGED IN New York
Live recording of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” from a Nirvana unplugged session in 1994. Geffen Records, 1994.
The Library of Congress Recordings: Lead Belly, Volumes 1-6
This 6-CD collection was recorded by Alan Lomax between 1939 and 1944 for the Library of Congress. Rounder 1994.
LEAD BELLY SINGS FOLK SONGS
Recorded by Moses Asch, Folkways Records founder, with Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, and Sonny Terry. Smithsonian Folkways, 1989.
LEAD BELLY: ALABAMA BOUND
Accompanied by the gospel vocal group, Virginia’s Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet, this was Ledbetter’s first recording as a non-soloist as well as for a major record label.
RCA, 1989.
LEAD BELLY: GOODNIGHT IRENE
Recordings from sessions in 1943 and 1944, the compilation album “illustrates the tremendous scope of Lead Belly’s repertoire” and includes two performances by Sonny Terry and Josh White, Sr. Traditions, 1996.
LEAD BELLY: Huddie Ledbetter’s Best
Remastered 1944 recordings for Capitol Records.
BGO Records, 1988.
LEAD BELLY: IN THE SHADOWS OF THE GALLOWS POLE
A collection of recordings with a “permeating theme throughout the songs of Lead Belly’s complicated relations with women”. Traditions, 1996.
Lead Belly: King of the 12-String Guitar
Columbia, 1991.
LEAD BELLY: Sings For Children
Compilation of work songs, religious songs, blues, children’s game songs and ballads, which Lead Belly used to teach children about the many musical forms he learned as a child. Smithsonian Folkways, 1999.
LEAD BELLY’S LAST SESSION
Recorded in 1948 by Fred Ramsey who described this 4-CD compilation as “more than just music-it was a whole emotional feeling. IT flowed out of him, and with each song put him more and more into the mood of it. When he heard himself on the playback, he really began to play and inspire himself. Smithsonian Folkways, 1994.