Since his death in 1949, the African-American singer and guitarist Huddie William Ledbetter has gradually inscribed his name in the heritage of American popular music. Unknown to the general public for decades, his works resurfaced from the 1960s thanks to a multitude of artists revitalizing his repertoire. Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Eric Bibb, among others, adapted Lead Belly’s melodies over the years. Amaury Cornut, our guest, devotes an entire book to this under-celebrated folk troubadour.
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Lead Belly, the most famous of the unknown composers
