Fred,

The recording date that you mentioned is given in Dixon & Godrich as circa 16-20 July 1933. There were 3 recordings of 'Irene', one a 2-part version - 120-A-1, 120-A-6 and 120-A-7. Given Lomax's comment that it was the first recorded, it is curious that there are 5 Leadbelly cuts with earlier numbers - 'The Western Cowboy' 119-B-1, 'Honey Take a Whiff on Me' 119-B-2, 'Angola Blues' 119-B-4, 'Angola Blues' 119-B-5 and 'Frankie and Albert' 119-B-6. There is a note that 119-B-3 was by an unidentified black convict. D & G noted elsewhere that the new disc recording machine was delivered to the Lomaxes on 15 July 1933 in Baton Rouge and was used throughout the rest of that expedition.

--Stewie.