Saturday, October 30, 2004
The legacy of Lead Belly will be showcased in song and programs during a weeklong series of events at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in conjunction with the American Music Masters Series. Lead Belly, who played a 12-string guitar, is best known for "Rock Island Line," "Goodnight, Irene," "The Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields." He was inducted into the hall in 1988. Tickets to events are available through Ticketmaster, (330) 747-1212, and the museum box office. Events are:
Monday: Cleveland Cinematheque will host a screening of Gordon Parks' movie, "Leadbelly," at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8. Call (216) 421-7450.
Tuesday: Corey Harris will perform songs by Lead Belly at 7 p.m. in the museum's fourth-floor theater. He also will discuss Lead Belly's influence on American blues and popular music. Tickets are $5.
Wednesday: Kip Lornell, author of "The Life and Legend of Leadbelly," will discuss the singer's biography at 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor theater. The program is free with museum admission or $5 for the event.
Thursday: The museum will open a special Lead Belly exhibit in Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall. The Roots of American Music Group will perform. For reservations call (216) 515-8427 and leave your name, membership ID number, number of guests and daytime phone number.
Friday: A concert with Oscar Brand and Josh White Jr. is planned at 8 p.m. in Beachland Ballroom. Tickets are $12.
Saturday: An interdisciplinary conference on Lead Belly's music, life and legend will be at 9 a.m. and sponsored by Case Western Reserve University at Case's Ford Auditorium in the Allen Memorial Library. There will be a live interview with Lead Belly's niece, Queen "Tiny" Robinson; presentations by author Elijah Wakl and Bill Nowlin, Rounder Records founder; music and conversation with Brand and White; special presentations by Lomax Archives, Smithsonian/Folkways and the Library of Congress Folklife Center; and keynote speaker Ronnie Gilbert. As The Weavers, Gilbert, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman sold 2 million copies of their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene." The cost is $30 and includes lunch. Call (216) 368-3836. A tribute concert with Jon Langford, the Tarbox Ramblers and Dan Zanes and Friends will be at 9 p.m. at Beachland Ballroom.
Next Sunday: Dan Zanes and Friends Family Show at 1 p.m. at Harkness Chapel at Case. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 and younger. Harry Belafonte will open the tribute concert at 7:30 p.m. at Severance Hall. Performers will be Robert Plant, Los Lobos, Odetta, Dave Alvin, Alison Krauss, Robert Lockwood Jr., Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Tarbox Ramblers and other special guests. Tickets are $20, $30 and $40.