Huddie William Ledbetter (January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949) was an American folk and blues musician notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced.
Here's a link to a recent show I did on Leadbelly. Features an interview with Jeff Place who produced and wrote the notes for the new Leadbelly box set on Smithsonian Folkways.