Topic - Lead Belly

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Huddie William "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, with his 12-string guitar, inspired Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain.

Lead Belly tribute brings stars, crowd, country music roots

By Nancy Dunham - Special to The Washington Times

This image released courtesy of the Lead Belly Estate shows folk and blues musician Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly. Huddie &quot;Lead Belly&quot; Ledbetter never had a hit record before he died of Lou Gehrig's disease in 1949. But the folk-singing legend, who is being celebrated as part of Black History Month with a TV documentary and 5-CD box set, left behind a treasure trove of recordings. Among those influenced by Lead Belly, best known for his recordings of “Good Night Irene” and “The Midnight Special:” Lonnie Donegan, the founding father of British pop, who inspired British teens to form skiffle groups, including 15-year-old John Lennon who founded The Quarrymen in 1956 and later added Paul McCartney and George Harrison to the band. (AP Photo/Courtesy of the Lead Belly Estate)

Smithsonian TV documentary, box set celebrate Lead Belly

By Charles J. Gans - Associated Press