Description:

Ledbetter Huddie 1885 - 1949 An unique original set list in the hand of Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, accomplished during the final year of his storied life including such favorites as "Rock Island Line," "John Henry," "Casey Jones," and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot."


Autograph Manuscript, 1p. 8.5" x 4", accomplished in blue pencil on a portion of a ledger sheet, [n.p., n.d., but c. 1948-1949], being a set list for a live concert performance given by Ledbetter comprising fourteen different songs. Extremely light soiling, else fine condition.


The list incudes some of Lead Belly's favorites, which can be found on recordings, including [with his original spellings retained]: "Rock Island Line," "John Henry," "alomabon [ie. Alabama Bound]," "Go Down old Honer [ie. Go Down Ol' Hannah]," "Old Man will [your] Dog Catch a Rabbit," "Ha Ha This Way [and again at top left:] ha ha thisaway." Ledbetter also included some traditional favorites, that he never recorded, including, "Swing Loe Sweet Chariet," "Case[y] Jones," and "Ruster Crow at midnight."

Ledbetter accomplished this list for a concert orchestrated Marjorie Fairbanks and her son Austen, who had taken over Lead Belly's professional management in 1948. They quickly booked him in a string of concerts (including the dates in Minnesota) in anticipation of his first (and only) trip to Europe for the Paris Festival in May 1949. Following Europe, the Fairbanks' had a tour of Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa planned.


By the time he wrote this set list, Ledbetter was already cognizant that he was losing control of his muscles, though he lacked an accurate diagnosis. While playing concert dates in Paris in May 1949, a physician diagnosed him with ALS (or Lou Gehrig's Disease) and he returned to the United States at the end of the month. He played only two more shows, one with Woody Guthrie in Chicago, and then a tribute to the late John A. Lomax in Austin, Texas on June 15, 1949. By July he was admitted to Bellevue and would be in and out of the hospital after that. For some time, Lead Belly would sing and play his guitar. The day he found himself unable to play, he cried. Huddie Ledbetter died on December 6, 1949.


Extremely Rare. Ledbetter's holograph in any form is exceptionally rare. The only other Ledbetter holograph material that has appeared is a signed photograph and a couple of signed flyers. The signed photograph alone realized nearly $6,000 at a 2014 auction.

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November 10, 2016 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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