Huddie Ledbetter better known as “Lead Belly” contributed more to modern music than most folks realize. Throughout music genres like Blues, Country, Folk and Rock & Roll, Lead Belly has planted seeds that still bear fruit to this day. From B.B. King to Johnny Cash and Elvis to Creedence Clearwater Revival, the music of Lead Belly has provided them and countless others with inspiration for hit songs. Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll does a fine job in showing how Huddie’s work and life have affected millions long after his passing in 1949.
Buy Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll DVDThis 80-minute documentary directed by Curt Hahn tells the fascinating story of Huddie Ledbetter and how his music has inspired every generation that would follow him. Using interviews and archival footage, Hahn retraces Huddie’s life from his earliest days on a plantation in Louisiana through the rough and tumble days of his youth that led to prison time. While in prison, Huddie would be “found” by the father and son team of John and Alan Lomax as part of their work cataloging the many forms of American Music. Legend has it that Lomax had a hand in Huddie’s release and pardon. So with gratitude in mind, Huddie went to work as John Lomax’s “man” (like a valet) as they toured America and Huddie played his music. He would eventually break from Lomax and blaze a trail of his own that would lead to world fame, life-altering performances, and even an album of children’s songs.
Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll is loaded with interviews by family and famous friends that knew him or found him highly inspirational. We hear from his niece, Queen “Tiny” Robinson, and her son, Alvin Singh M.D., about family gatherings where Uncle Huddie would play for them. There are also interviews with Pete Seeger and Arlo Gutherie, son of Woody, who both have fond memories of the man with massive muscles and physical strength. There are also segments with other musicians that he inspired which include BB King, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte and Odetta. Alan Lomax who was there for much of those early days after Huddie’s release from prison also shares his thoughts and perspective on the life of Lead Belly.
Huddie’s story is not only told through interviews but great footage of the man himself. There’s even scenes from the vintage newsreel that had Huddie along with John Lomax reenact with some (not so) poetic license how their relationship came to be. By weaving together interviews and archival footage, Hahn is able to present a more in depth look at who the man actually was and what his life was like.
Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll is a must watch for music fans in general. It’s entertaining and informative from start to finish, stripping away the B.S. that comes with most biopics or those boring, cheaply made documentaries that include nothing more than a narrator reading a script. Throughout, we are treated to vintage clips of Lead Belly performing his songs his way on his 12-string guitar. From slow and low to mean and raucous, his full range is on display. Not only do we get to hear and see the man himself but we get short clips of those bands and artists he inspired performing their versions of his work. Those songs include “Black Betty,” “Rock Island Line,” “Midnight Special,” “Easy Rider” aka “C.C. Rider,” “Goodnight, Irene” and “In New Orleans (House of the Rising Sun).”
