Folk and blues musician Lead Belly influenced the likes of The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, the Grateful Dead and many others. It turns out though, that he had a pretty hard life. Recently unearthed FBI records on display in a new book called Lead Belly: A Life in Pictures, reveal that the “Goodnight Irene” singer was whipped while doing time in a Louisiana prison, once getting ten lashes for “laziness.” In 1934, Lead Belly was pardoned and settled in New York. His songs have been covered by people from Frank Sinatra to Jimmy Buffett. Lead Belly: A Life In Pictures is out now.
