Leadbelly (film) title card stating that Leadbelly was released from prison and pursued his music career. Leadbelly (film) Leadbelly is a 1976 film chronicling the life of folk singer Huddie William Ledbetter (better known as "Lead Belly"). The film was directed by Gordon Parks, and starred Roger E. Mosley in the title role. The film focuses on the troubles of Lead Belly's youth in the segregated South including his time in prison, and his efforts to use his music to gain release. Huddie Ledbetter leaves his father's house just barely into his twenties and arrives at a brothel on Fannin' Street ran
Don Was he grew up listening to the Detroit blues sound and the jazz music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, amongst many others. As a teenager, Was was further influenced by the Beat Generation, most notably John Sinclair. In high school, Was was the lead singer and guitar player in a Detroit rock band called the Saturns. The first recording project that he engineered and produced was in 1971 with drummer Muruga Booker on a recording called "Rama Rama / Endless Path". Using the stage name "Don Was", he formed the group Was (Not Was) with school friend David Weiss (David