Download or read book The Life and Legend of Leadbelly written by Charles K. Wolfe and published by Da Capo. This book was released on 1992 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Huddie Ledbetter (1889–1949), known to millions of fans simply as Leadbelly, was arguably the most famous black singer in American history. His close musical associations included such towering figures as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and John and Alan Lomax. He helped lay the foundations for blues, modern folk music, and rock 'n' roll. This definitive biography draws on a wealth of new archival material, interviews, and previously unknown recordings to detail Leadbelly's proud, tumultuous, and often violent life.