Lead Belly Fest is a tribute festival with a difference, taking place on Monday 15 June at The Royal Albert Hall. A night dedicated to the life and works of iconic folk-blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, Lead Belly, whose ability to perform a vast repertoire of songs influenced the likes of Kurt Cobain, Led Zeppelin to name a few. 

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Headlining the evenings celebrations are music legends Van Morrison, Eric Burdon, and musical maestro, Jools Holland, who will perform and recreate the legends classic repertoire.

Also Announced: Paul Jones, Gwen Dickey, Dennis Locorriere, Slim Chance, Laurence Jones, Josh White Jnr, Mick Rogers, Gemma Ray, Ruby Turner, Slim Chance, Plus Many More

Lead Belly Fest will feature an array of attractions including a photo exhibition and original Lead Belly memorabilia. In his notebooks, Cobain listed Lead Belly's "Last Session Vol. 1" as one of the 50 albums most influential to the formation of Nirvana's sound.

Derek Mason, Curator of Lead Belly Fest, said: "We are extremely excited to be launching this incredible tribute concert, the first musical celebration of an iconic legend. With so many amazing artists, it’s going to be a fitting celebration of an incredible musician”

Lead Belly’s music still strikes a chord today, with his work being widely covered by artists, including The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, to name a few, many more musicians cite him as a huge influence. Lead Belly was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, in the late 1880s and was later imprisoned in Texas for murder in 1918. His incredible career saw him record over 500 songs, his last performance was at a concert at Carnegie Hall in 1949.

Ticket information:

Tickets on sale from 9am on Friday 6 February. Tickets are subject to booking fee.