Lead Belly: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1988

Rock Hall Bio:

http://rockhall.com/inductees/lead-belly/bio/

Official Site:

http://www.leadbelly.org/

By 1903, 18-year-old Lead Belly worked the Shreveport red-light district.

The Titanic (1912):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYSvFW-WN8M

He was incarcerated several times throughout his life.

Some of his best known work:

Cotton Fields:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46h56pidCiE

Rock Island Line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCiJ4QQG9WQ

The Midnight Special:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqgysixP_48

Goodnight Irene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQXmqbZ3Pc

He died in poverty from Lou Gehrig’s Disease in 1949.
Shortly after his death, the Weavers recorded “Goodnight Irene” selling two million copies. It is one of the best examples of white artists scoring big hits and making money off of songs written by black artists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj3s8qq3kU4

978. Midnight Special by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)

Midnight Special was written in the twenties and popularized by Lead Belly in the thirties. It's been covered by artists ranging from Buckwheat Zydeco to ABBA. The most famous modern version comes from Creedence. I remember singing this at a Buckwheat Zydeco show in Mt. Pleasant one fine winter.

Best Line: You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down.
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrj5Kxdzouc