Is this an unknown film of Leadbelly?

[skynrdpikr]

I have seen this video before when I was a kid but, for the life of me ... I can't remember where from. Wish I could help ya on this one. But, I am just as confused as you are. Could be ... But ??? Who really knows ...

[JoLeana76]

There's another youtube video of this same thing that the caption says Georgia fieldhands. I don't think Leadbelly was ever in Georgia (not to my knowledge).

[ppetal1]

Not only that, but this is dubbed. .they are singing inside. This is outside. Guy with the steson looks like our Huddie, though.

[javierdeprado]

It is not Leadbelly, it is Georgia Fields Hands (look for them)

[allenshepard]

Depends on what year this was leadbelly was in jail till the mid 40s or so I doubt it

[pistolpackingzus]

also leadbelly was on film more than once.. they had him on tv and on newsreel. maybe a total of 3 times ... do you know the name of this song?

[pistolpackingzus]

it's not Leadbelly ... that guys waaay too skinny and small... leadbelly was a big dude... but a great song nonetheless

[Prunkful]

So anybody knows which film is this? Name?

Thank you

[NadadouroDave]

I can't find any of these 4 videos! Only the "Leadbelly Newsreel" one! I want to see more, but can't find them, just ones with still pictures! Could someone please direct me? Please!

[GiantDoucheNG]

"The common belief is that Huddie Leadbetter (Leadbelly) was only ever caught on film once," lol i've seen at least 4 videos of leadbelly on youtube

[birdstuckinchimney]

@GiantDoucheNG Yes so have I now...I was less informed when I said that...I had read it somewhere but not really checked it out.

I will get around to changing the description at some stage but the basic questions still remains....is the guy sitting on the ground him? My own gut feeling is, probably not, but I still have a some niggling suspicions that it just might be.

[omfgitsciso]

@GiantDoucheNG dude its youtube not the most damn reliable source.

[lummoxlewis70]

yes

[bigchiefadopethiefa]

Lead belly was likely in prison when this was made, It's not him, great footage regardless

[ManilaSyndicate]

That isn't him. He doesn't look like Leadbelly and he's too young. There would have been no sound in film when Ledbetter was a young man.

Interesting video though and nice song.

[EKennel]

youtube.com/watch?v=afIq5HfaK_­Y&NR=1 is a color movie of Leadbelly, and

youtube.com/watch?v=QxykqBmUCw­k with John Lomax.

[EKennel]

@EKennel also check out Pick a Bale of Cotton youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=j33tn­qLCTvI

[NeverTrust82]

You can see his face well enough to see it's not leadbelly

[metyuewb]

Jesus Christ man, what do you mean "common belief is Leadbelly was only caught on film once", do you see those videos listed on your right? Are you blind? Deaf? Can you compare the man in this video and tell the "likeness"? PLus it's synched, that shouldn't be a problem with authenticity either. Damn, why don't people use their brain!!

[DeltaBluesLivesOn]

Georiga Field Hands

[dirtynuke]

But it's not LeadBelly

[dirtynuke]

History

[blindbonder]

Plus, according to an interview I have with Big Bill Broonzy, Leadbelly was the laziest man around when it came to work. He worked when he was in prison, but he was known to avoid any kind of physical labour when he was a free man.

I just love the bit in this clip at 00:30 where the banjo player screws up his verse, stops for a second to snap and curse, and then keeps playing, which is probably why the next guy took the lead in the second verse. Beautiful clip!

[blindbonder]

This is definitely not leadbelly in the cowboy hat. This was recorded in Georgia, and these are real field-hands who took a break in their work to sing a song. Just goes to show their incredible ability to harmonize with each other! Also, from everything I've heard and read on leadbelly, I could hardly imagine him singing backup with someone else, and not being centre stage with his voice, guitar and charisma!

[HvyHnded]

looks like a young lucius smith . .but thats just a guess

[vitorsuman]

This is from the DVD "Times ain't like they used to be: early rural and popular American music, 1928-1935". I personally think the guy you refer has Lead Belly's accent, but it's not him. Lead Belly wasn't skinny as this guy here look. And he spent the first half of the 30's in jail...

[ajtwowings]

No I don't think so. Leadbetter was a 12 string guitar man. I also think that the age of the film (date that it was made)) and the age of the player don''t coincide...man is too young.

[controlesexism]

Leadbelly did cover this song but if I could, I'd put money on this not being him. I can see where you hear the similarities but Leadbelly had a broader vocal range, whereas this man's range is very limited (listen to how he sings "clay" and "stay").

[birdstuckinchimney]

@controlesexism Thanks for this....a very well thought through and informed comment....

[brainburrito]

Awesome video but that guy doesn't sound like Leadbelly to me. His voice seems sorta puny in comparison to Leadbelly's, if that makes any sense. 

[biglloyddobbs]

No. No...

[LENWOIS]

LOL that aint Huddie!!!!

[poordtooz]

no

[zachblues1]

who cares if it is or not this is amazing fotage !!! i think anyway

[alonzogarbanzo]

I'd put $1000 on it; this ain't Huddie Ledbetter. Doesn't look like him, doesn't really sound like him, though the Shreveport accent is there, and definitely doesn't show any of Huddie's playing style, even if it were translated to banjo (an instrument he was never known to play).

Even though the clip purports to show these guys singing outdoors, clearly the audio was recorded in a room, not in an outside setting, so there's already some reason to question other aspects, I guess.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@alonzogarbanzo

1) Nobody is suggesting that the banjo player is him.

2) Recording footage in a room made to look like the outdoors was extremely common practice in early film making....for obvious reason

[alonzogarbanzo]

@birdstuckinchimney 1. Well, someone did suggest that, but I see your response now. The guy you are talking about STILL doesn't look like him ; Leadbelly had shoulders like a brick wall. This guy just isn't built like him.

2. Of course. My point being, there's not even any certainty that the people heard singing are the same as the people seen on the clip. The voice of the seated guy has something of L's vocal range and an accent like his, but the intonation and power ain't there.

[yugandali]

Can't say who sings, but I like it. Thanks.

[howlingsandy]

Wikipedia is particularly off-base and odd in what they accept as real in the area of music and images pertaining to the music/musicians 

[sheilapatrick1]

wheres ledbelly

[OneNaughtyMonkey]

I totally agree that this is NOT leadbelly ....

[browniemcgheeggallin]

leadbelly was HUGE looking, these guys look not much bigger than myself (lanky)

[jaywhofan]

There is no way this film could be from 1915 or 1918. Sound in film didn't exist until 1927.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@jaywhofan I know wikipedia is not always 100% correct but based on other stuff I've read, I would personally accept the authority of the following quote, taken directly from wiki; "The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900"

[txbluesician]

I dont think any of those guys sound or look anything like leadbelly. If Leadbelly had a banjo in his hand it would sound a lot better than that.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@txbluesician He never played banjo as far as I know. The guy that I and others are refering to is not the banjo player

[homedepot20car]

Its pretty fucking cool whatever it is

[thelordnick]

I thought the same thing when I came across this same footage

watch?v=MDh2zRm1dwQ&NR=1

[thelordnick]

Better Version:

watch?v=MDh2zRm1dwQ&NR=1

[tobbelobbe666]

Newly recorded footage. Badly faked.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@tobbelobbe666 What makes you think that? You could well be correct, but there must be something that makes you think it. Care to share what?

[tobbelobbe666]

@birdstuckinchimney Oh stop it. Obviously you faked it.

[lotuswight]

I think that this footage is a hoax!

The song sounds like it was recorded in a room! and they are supposed to be outside?!

something not right about the film...

[birdstuckinchimney]

@lotuswight Not sure what you mean by "hoax" but if you mean that it's actually modern and made to look old, you're wrong.

You're correct that it was filmed inside and made to look like it was outside but that's how they did things in early filming.

They obviously wanted to make it look like they were in their "place of work" but sound recording back then was very crude and they knew it would have sounded  dreadful if it was recorded outside. Thus they did up a room to look like outside.

[tinpanalley67]

Nah, dat's not Lead!

[lynettekomidar]

I have this by Leadbelly on 'Last Sessions'

[EuchridEucrow1]

Interesting footage, though...

[EuchridEucrow1]

"Moreover he looks enough like him to raise questions in my mind "

Okay, I'm going to assume that you're talking about the gentlemen in the very wide brimmed hat. The banjo player is far too skinny.

He looks a bit like him, from what I can see - although his face is obscured by shadows. The problem is, I can't hear Leadbelly's voice in that at all. Also, if 1941 was actually the year, Leadbelly was in New York recording for Alan Lomax. That doesn't look like New York.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@EuchridEucrow1 That's funny cos most people who have posted here seem to think that that guy *sounds* more than *looks* like him.

I don't know where you got that this footage is from 1941 "aerosolchef" seemed to think it was from 1929, but there is no one who has had a definitive date. If it was fro anywhere between 1915 and 18 it could well have been him when he was "on-the-run" under an assumed name of Walter Boyde

[EuchridEucrow1]

@birdstuckinchimney

"I don't know where you got that this footage is from 1941 "

From misreading aerosolchef's post. LOL! Sorry. Okay, so if this was 1929, he would have been out of jail, having been pardoned by the Governor, but I've never read anything about his years between then and when he was reincarcerated and found by John Lomax, in 1933.

To my ears, though, it's a completely different vocal style. I'm listening to "House of Rising Sun" right now. Much more laid back.

[aerosolchef]

This group was named "Georgia field hands". As far as I know, Lead Belly was never in such a group, or any group for that matter.

I also believe this was filmed in or around 1929 / 30.. By that time Lead Belly would have been 41 - 42.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@aerosolchef Thanks for that. Can I ask where you got the info that said "Georgia Field Hands" was the name of this group and not just a description of them? Also what makes you think it was taken in 29/30? You're probably correct on both accounts but for my own education on Huddy and his times I'd love to know what makes you think them?

[aerosolchef]

@birdstuckinchimney. You're right, that was just a description of the men in the group, they werent actually a 'band'. The recordings which were located on the cd that included this group were from 1928-35. I just came up with those years from other peoples assumptions.

So yes, my information was slightly false. But going my own judgments, and due to the limited information on this recording, none of these fellas seem to be over the age of 40, which Leadbelly was at the time, we can only

[aerosolchef]

assume that he was not part of the group at the time.

Due to the inconclusive evidence regarding the recordings on the cd, inolving this one, all we can do is make assumptions.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@aerosolchef Thanks for that. All good stuff, and based on what you've said plus what a number of other people have said, I am coming to the conclusion that you're correct and that this is not him.

[AUSROTTENY2K]

Alright first of all, its common knowledge he was filmed more than once. There's footage of him in 4 differen't settings. Theres the outdore vid of pick a bale of cotton, the footage of him doing grey goose, the footage of take this hammer infront of a curtain and that old library of congress commercial. 2nd the guy really doesn't look like Leadbelly at all. I think any fan of his can tell it isn't him. The man's voice is also too high. Its not him. Period.

[birdstuckinchimney]

@AUSROTTENY2K Thanks for that. Though you seem to be fairly aggressive in the way you state it, there is some good info in what you say. You're correct regarding the fact that there is more than one lot of known footage, it's a fact I discovered after I posted this and I have not got around to ammending my comments..sorry.

[bulbheadmyass]

Whoever it is, it's a great vintage video.

[AUSROTTENY2K]

It isn't leadbelly.

[bassanglr]

whats the name of this song????

[birdstuckinchimney]

Mary Don't You Weep

[DermitderUkulele]

Indeed, the guy with the cowboy hat sings somehow in the manner of Leadbelly,... But he doesn't look like him, also not like a young man as he was before the time in jail and before the time of Lomax' recordings. I wouldn't say it's him. .. However, great roots stuff from the country!

[birdstuckinchimney]

@DermitderUkulele Fair enough. I reckon there's some resemblence but maybe that's wishful thinking on my part :-)

[almanacofsleep]

Its defernatly not lead belly.

[birdstuckinchimney]

Hmmm... Can I assume you have a better knowledge of music than you do of spelling to base that assertion on?

[almanacofsleep]

Ouch! No need to be insulting. I've seen this video on youtube before, not one mention of Lead Belly in it. Lead Belly's quite a well know musican of that period. I'm sure that folk music experts have poured over footage like this and as of yet no one has claimed that this film features Lead Belly in it. This all seams like pointless speculation on your part.

[birdstuckinchimney]

OK I apologise for the dig. It was just that your comment seemed very dogmatic but you gave no reasoning for your 'certainty'.

Just because you havn't heard anyone, other than me and a few others who have agreed with me, speculate that this may be a young Huddy Leadbetter by no means is a causal link to the the conclusion that a) no one else has b) it's not him. If that really is your entire reasoning then you'll have to forgive me for not being convinced in the way you seem to be.

[birdstuckinchimney]

I do agree of course that your reasoning does give some cause for doubt, just not definitive doubt. And that my friend is why I disagree totally with you that my speculation is "pointless". Given that it looks and sounds like him the question needs to asked as to whether it is. I suspect that we will never actually know but a discussion about it can at worst only add to our combined knowledge and understanding of the man. And you never know someone may have definitive proof that it is/isn't him.

[almanacofsleep]

Here another point, if Lead Belly was there I would be sure he would be letting everyone know who he was, I mean read a bit about him and you will know he wasn't shy about self promotion.

[birdstuckinchimney]

If this is him he's very young and may well not be as bold as he was latter in life. Besides it's a movie of a song...he isn't given the opportunity to self promote. I have to say though when you watch the movie, the guy in the cowboy hat certainly looks more confident and more of a showman than the others.

[almanacofsleep]

you seem to desprate to true to find proof that this is Lead Belly. That evidence is weak and I aint buying it.

[birdstuckinchimney]

I assume you mean "too" desperate. If so I can assure you that it's not desperation, more a bit of fun. As I have already said, we'll probably never know if it was him, but hey, I'm having fun speculating about it, even if you ain't.

[almanacofsleep]

still pretty pointless, just as pointless as bringing up a minor typo.

[birdstuckinchimney]

Have you seen QxykqBmUCwk ?

If you enlarge this movie I reckon you can see the same gap in the teeth on this guy as Leadbelly has in that one.

[kpasa111]

If I may offer my two cent's worth: Uh, I don' think so. Have seen this same clip previously identified as "Georgia Field Hands". Leadbelly spent his early years in Texas and Louisiana. Also...Leadbelly was a HUGE man. No one here is big enough to be him. Great clip though.

[birdstuckinchimney]

Excellent stuff thanks for that.

[nicorefe]

I like this but i don't think it's leadbelly.. despite it sounds like if it were him..

[copperjones1915]

its really good but i dont think its lead belly

[birdstuckinchimney]

Why not? Do you think he doesn't sound like him?

[myledbettersong]

I seen this clip on tv, ovation was the channel and masters of american music was the program, came on last july 19th,footage and interviews explore the blues roots in jazz and rock n roll.

[ast2r5]

I'm no expert but the dude with the cowboy hat sounds dead on like leadbelly if it ain't him.

[selectaballu]

yes, i think it's leadbelly too

[godsbabygirl180]

i like this