was leadbelly shot in the stomach?

Subject: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: hillbilly
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 01:43 PM

well was he???and if so should he be called brassbelly?

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Mr Red
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 01:46 PM

Well I have heard tell he had to bite the bullet on occasions.
why brass? they used lead bullets and lead shot in them thar days.

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 02:14 PM

Never shot in the stomach. Some of his story here, and the source of the nickname: Lead Belly

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 12:50 AM

His last name was Ledbetter. Bullets have NEVER been brass. Copper or steel jacketed, maybe. Lead is and has been for some time, the basic projectile material. Brass cartridge (hull, shell). don't know if he was ever shot or not.

CB

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Nerd
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 12:43 PM

Leadbelly was shot at several times, but I can't remember if he was ever hit! But the nickname is just an adaptation of his real name.

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Don Firth
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:01 PM

What I heard was that at one time while in the joint he had a pal who called himself "Ironhead." So morphing Ledbetter into "Leadbelly" was a natural. "Ironhead and Leadbelly."

Don Firth

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: JJ
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:13 PM

This just in: "Woody" Guthrie was not made out of wood...

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Don Firth
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:08 PM

What???? Say not so!!!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:43 PM

What! Not from eating duck full of lead shot?

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 12:54 AM

Woody was Woodrow before he was woody. He was certainly pithy.

I have a friend whose family is from Okemah, Oklahoma. He said there was a sign in town that mentioned Woody Guthrie but it was blown down and he didn't think it was ever put back up. Anyone been to Okemah recently?

My friend has some relatives still living there but he was born in South San Francisco. His folks came out West during the Great Depression, during the "dust bowl days"

CB

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Kaleea
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 02:46 AM

Why would anyone leave California to go to Oklahoma during the dustbowl days? Had they never heard the "Off To California" jig? Didn't your friends folks heed the message of the then-in-the-future-film "The Grapes of Wrath" in their crystal ball? Had they never heard of Jane Fonda's daddy, Henry? The Okies were hitting the trail to California in droves at that time! Ergo the prarie schooners & automobiles with "California or Bust" written upon them! My mother was from Dustin, Oklahoma. Yes, that is the actual factual name of the town. There's a pretty good hamburger joint there (if it is still in business), and a snooker/pool hall. Oh yes, and the post office & a gas station. It is in the heart of the dust bowl. It is on highway 9. If memory serves, it lies between Weleetka & Wetumkah. And no, I haven't been to Okemah in a few years.

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: GUEST,Walking Eagle
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 02:58 PM

I didn't read the clicky thing. Supposedly, Leadbelly got his nick name from an attempted escape from prison. He crawled under the fence over some fairly body unfriendly rocks, glass, and other stuff. His fellow inmates gave him his prison handle- - Leadbelly.

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: Nerd
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 03:41 PM

BTW, folks, "Ironhead" was a convict named James Baker, also a great singer. Some of the Alan Lomax field recording CDs have recordings of him on there.

Subject: RE: was leadbelly shot in the stomach?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:22 PM

I believe it may have something to do with being Blind Lemon's "lead boy" along with the name Ledbetter.