• Track Listing

From the swamplands of Louisiana to the prisons of Texas to the streets of New York City, Huddie Ledbetter set out on a mythical journey on his way to becoming an American folk icon along with his friend Woody Guthrie. You’ll follow the footsteps of that journey through the 140 pages of extensive notes and historic photos in the big beautiful book that accompanies the five hours of music included here. Not only do the 108 tracks include all the legendary songs (long known to everyone from Pete Seeger and Odetta to Frank Sinatra to Van Morrison and CCR to Nirvana and all the others who’ve covered Lead Belly songs), but also 18 previously unreleased performances. Read the story of the man as that soul-piercing voice and 12-string guitar work their magic with "Irene (Goodnight Irene)," "The Bourgeois Blues," "The Midnight Special," "John Henry," "Pick a Bale of Cotton," "Old Riley," "Rock Island Line," "Keep Your Hands off Her," "On a Monday," "Governor O.K. Allen," "Boll Weevil," "The Gallis Pole," "Green Corn," "Moanin’," "Queen Mary," "Easy Rider," "Pigmeat," "Leaving Blues," "Stewball," "Alabama Bound," "Blind Lemon," "Backwater Blues," "Sally Walker," "Red River," "Outskirts of Town," "Jim Crow Blues," two versions of "They Hung Him on the Cross" two sets of songs sung on WNYC and more! Smithsonian Folkways.