If he hadn't existed, Moe Asch at Folkways Records wouldn't have offered to break every Leadbelly record over Donegan's head for Lonnie's attempt to collect royalties for Leadbelly's songs from Folkways. Actually, I don't think Moe would have wasted those recordings on such a meaningless gesture but he was angry. Donegan was arrogant and out of line and apparently self-important.