It's good to hear that people are talking about Lead Belly. Yes, there was a major event at the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame recently and our friend Tiny Robinson, Lead Belly's niece, was there. Tiny, who lives in Brentwood, TN, is the founder of the Lead Belly Foundation which is bent on educating kids about music of all kinds, but particularly Lead Belly's, which is practically the basis of all American folk music. Huddie learned to play music for house dances in the country between Mooringsport, LA and Karnack, TX and whatever songs got people up to dance and party, that's what he played.
Also he learned lots of gospel songs because most everybody in his family were church going members of the Shiloh Baptist Church near Mooringsport, where he is buried. He also played music at school closings, the end of year ceremonies at the black country schools. And if he was going to play at your house party you'd be guaranteed a crowd!