Leadbelly, Midnight Special

For many blues purists Leadbelly was the blues. His life and struggles reflects the soul of the blues like no other. His primitive but soulful style has few peers and there is none of the flashy attention seeking of many other big names within the genre.

This recording may not be the most representative of Leadbelly but is one of the more interesting. Song collector John Lomax visited Angola in 1933 looking for folk songs to record and was introduced to Leadbelly - the recordings are included here. The song Irene was taught by his uncle and is from an obscure African American songwriter Gussie Lord Davis from the 19th Century.

The version taught to Leadbelly by his uncle was altered. Also among the songs was the famous Midnight Special which Leadbelly first heard during his prison spell in Texas in the 1920s. The track Governor O.K. Allen was written as the legend goes to get the governor to sign his release. The state of Louisiana repeatedly denied that Leadbelly sung his way out of prison although the story has been authenticated from various other sources that the song was played to him shortly before his sentence was reduced from ten to three years - Leadbelly having already served three therefore was released.

Other highlights on this recording include his spirited version of the Rock Island Line.