Lead Belly has inspired generations of musicians, from The Weavers to the Grateful Dead, from Van Morrison, to The Beach Boys and even Nirvana. And yet few people today know his remarkable story and even fewer know when they are listening to his music. His story is told in the new one-hour Smithsonian Channel  special, LEGEND OF LEAD BELLY, premiering Monday, February 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, was born in 1889, into a post-war South plagued by extreme poverty, poor education, racism and a corrupt justice system. With the odds stacked against him, Lead Belly emerged as one of the most influential musicians of the 20^th century.

In LEGEND OF LEAD BELLY, author John Reynolds cites a quote from George Harrison who once said, “no Lead Belly, no Beatles.”  And Kurt Cobain called Lead Belly his favorite performer before playing Lead Belly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” to conclude Nirvana’s 1993 “MTV Unplugged” show. LEGEND OF LEAD BELLY features interviews with Van Morrison, singer/songwriter Judy Collins, Robby Krieger of The Doors, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds and other musicians, who talk about how they were and are inspired by Lead Belly. Also heard from are members of his family and those working to keep his memory and legacy alive.

The screening of the 46-minute film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Jeff Place, Archivist with Smithsonian Folkways. Place is one of the chief architects of 'Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection' - the first in-depth, career-spanning box set of songs, photos, and essays dedicated to one of America's most treasured 20th-century icons.

The box set, due out February 24, is a companion to 2012's GRAMMY-winning 'Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection,' 'Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection' chronicles the recordings of Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter (c. 1888-1949) in 108 tracks over five discs, including Lead Belly's beloved classics "The Midnight Special," "Goodnight Irene," and "Black Girl (Where Did You Sleep Last Night)" among many others. The collection also boasts 16 previously unreleased recordings, including four never-before-available original songs, and radio programs Lead Belly made for New York City’s public radio station, WNYC which can be heard for the first time since airing in 1941.

LEGEND OF LEAD BELLY is produced by Eagle Rock Entertainment for Smithsonian Channel. Executive producer for Eagle Rock is Peter Worsley and director is Alan Ravenscroft. David Royle, Charles Poe and Linda Goldman serve as executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian Channel™, owned by Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing entertainment across multiple platforms.  Smithsonian Channel combines the storytelling prowess of SHOWTIME^® with the unmatched resources and rich traditions of the Smithsonian, to create award-winning programming that shines new light on popular genres such as air and space, history, science, nature, and pop culture. Among the network’s offerings are series including Aerial America, L.A. Frock Stars, Secrets, Mighty Ships, Mighty Planes and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include Civil War 360, 9/11: The Heartland Tapes; MLK: The Assassination Tapes and The Day Kennedy Died. Find out more at www.smithsonianchannel.com.

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