Leadbelly is a 1976 American film chronicling the life and times of famed Southern folk and blues musician Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, portrayed by Roger E. Mosley. Leadbelly's tragic and troubled life began in 1888, on a plantation in Louisiana. Music was an early passion and by his teens Leadbelly was a musician of some note in his home state. This film focuses on his life and career from his troubled youth in the still-segregated south, through his prison years when he famously gained early release by writing and recording songs for Governor Pat Morris Neff (John Henry Faulk). Leadbelly was often incarcerated by his thirties, spending time on chain gangs and a stint in Angola Farm. It was during his time at Angola that he was "discovered" by folklorist John Lomax (James Brodhead). Some of his most iconic songs, including "Good Night Irene," "Midnight Special," and "The Titanic," are from this era.moreless