Lead Belly

Born

January 20, 1888

Died

December 6, 1949 (aged 61)

Known as

guitarist, singer, street artist, accordionist, composer, blues musician

Huddie Ledbetter, better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer. He was notable for his vocals, twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced, including his renditions of "In the Pines", "Pick a Bale of Cotton", "Goodnight, Irene", "Black Betty", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil". In addition to vocals and guitar, Ledbetter also played piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. In some recordings he used clapping or stomping.

Biography from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.