Leadbelly (Courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways)

Silver Level
A peer a pedal
The truth is severed
For rage is better
Goodnight Irene, Irene Goodnight
I’ve shot to kill

I’ve Stabbed to Kill
I’m Huddie Leadbetter

The first time I heard about Leadbelly was back in about 2004 or 2006 my Granny bought me collectors stamps with notable African Americans. There was Ethel Waters, Louis Armstrong, Charles Richard Drew, B.B. King, Martin Luther King, Ma Rainey just to name a few. The stamps came stuck on an informational pamphlet, noting their date of death and birth, and also what they were known for. So when I saw the name Leadbelly, my interest was immediately ignited. In my 10-year-old mind, I said, “Who the heck would name themselves Leadbelly?

This is not the stamp. I think my mom still has the stamp collection somewhere, but I remember the strong lived-in look he had on his face. The white hair, the dark skin, the upturn of his lips embodies a blues that is never to be among us again.

Somebody with a superhuman ability to down early 20th century moonshine.

Did you know that Leadbelly stabbed a man and went to prison and worked on a legitimate chain-gang?

You can hear the blue in his songs, and his deep accent might have lead to confusion about his name.

Like a Huddie William Ledbetter from Shreveport, became Huddie Weem Leadbelly from Freeport sorta thing.