Songs by Lead Belly explained

Songs by Lead Belly
Artist:Lead Belly
Cover:Songs by Lead Belly 600px.jpg
Type:studio
Released:1944
Recorded:August 1943, New York City
Label:Asch Recordings
Producer:Moses Asch
Prev Title:Work Songs of the U.S.A.
Prev Year:1942
Next Title:Negro Folk Songs
Next Year:1946

Songs by Lead Belly is an album by Lead Belly, recorded in 1943 by Asch Recordings and probably released in 1944.

At this point in Lead Belly's career he had split with John Lomax and was mainly recording with Moe Asch.[1] In August 1943, Lead Belly recorded six songs for Asch.[2] These songs were likely released as singles before being compiled into an album. In April 1944, Asch stated that Lead Belly was paid $250 for a special run of 10,000 copies of "How Long Blues," a cover of Leroy Carr's 1928 song. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that in June 1944, Songs by Lead Belly was issued as a new album.[3] Songs by Lead Belly (catalog number: Asch A-343) was Lead Belly's third album for Moe Asch. It was released as a three-disc collection of 10" 78 rpm records, with notes prepared by Charles Edward Smith.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Place, Jeff. Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection. 2015. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. 9780970494252. Washington. The Life and Legacy of Lead Belly. 22–23. .
  2. Book: Wolfe . Charles . Lornell . Kip . 1992 . The Life and Legend of Leadbelly . HarperCollins Publishers . New York . 0060168625.
  3. News: June 18, 1944. Records: A Round-Up. New York Times. X4. Admirers of Lead Belly will be glad to hear that a new album of 'Songs by Lead Belly' has been issued by Asch (A-343, three ten-inch records)..
  4. Web site: Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Good Morning Blues; How Long. June 3, 2021. Smithsonian Institution.