Oh Lawdy, pikuhbayluhkotten

Last month was Black History Month. Appropriately, I painted the likeness of one of the music world's finest African-American contributors: Leadbelly.

Of his legacy, Wikipedia says, in part, the following:

Lead Belly has been covered by Delaney Davidson, Tom Russell, Lonnie Donegan, The Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Abba, Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte, Ram Jam, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Dr John, Ry Cooder, Grateful Dead, Gene Autry, Odetta, Billy Childish (who named his son Huddie), Mungo Jerry, Paul King, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, Michelle Shocked, Tom Waits, Scott H. Biram, Ron Sexsmith, British Sea Power, Rod Stewart, Ernest Tubb, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The White Stripes, The Fall, The Doors, Smog, Old Crow Medicine Show, Spiderbait, Meat Loaf, Yirmyah Fox, Ministry, Raffi, Rasputina, Rory Gallagher, the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Deer Tick, Hugh Laurie, X, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, Koerner, Ray & Glover, Nirvana, Mark Lanegan, WZRD, and Tyvek Velvette, among many others.

Impressive. And then, of course, there are the countless artists who have painted pictures of Mr. Belly over the years. Well, forget all of them. What is important is who has painted him most recently. I believe that would be me.

Acrylic on wood. Approx 15" x 30".