Leadbelly

Leadbelly is an interesting contrast to John Hurt, in that he was ever seeking opportunities to be heard. His strong physical presence and robust personality put him at odds with the white world and thus landed him in places like Parchman Farm. Unlike some of the prisoners that John and Alan Lomax encountered, Leadbelly saw a symbiotic relationship rather than one in which he was being taken advantage of. His playing, from its directness to its volume, made him a well equipped candidate for capturing the white world with southern black music. 

Leadbelly's ambition was in conflict with the way the rest of the world interacted with him. The white world seemed to prefer the vision of Leadbelly as a convict, for the romanticism of this role, and because it fulfilled the white archetype of a southern black man. I chose to represent Leadbelly as he wanted to be seen - wearing a suit which as he did his whole life after his time in prison, an affirmation of the fact that he had made it beyond Parchman Farm and its trappings.