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
When the War Was On When the War Was On "When the War Was On" is a call and response blues song recorded in 1929 by Blind Willie Johnson and Willie B. Harris, who is thought to have been his first wife. Johnson plays bottleneck guitar, and sings throughout in his 'growl' (false bass) voice; Harris sings soprano. The war referred to is World War I (191418). The lyrics reference U.S. President Wilson (191321) and the German Kaiser; the United States entered the war in 1917. Unusually for Johnson, the song deals with a temporal rather than a spiritual subject. It shares tune and lyrics