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Goodnight Irene #1 1950 (Original Post) kentuck Jan 2019 OP
Saw ernest in concert. Chipper Chat Jan 2019 #1
they say Leadbelly was let out of Angola Prison in LA by Jimmie Davis because of this song GumboYaYa Jan 2019 #2

GumboYaYa

(5,941 posts)
2. they say Leadbelly was let out of Angola Prison in LA by Jimmie Davis because of this song
Wed Jan 23, 2019, 04:48 PM
Jan 2019

Leadbelly was the first artist to play and record the song. He had been doing it for years. While he was in Angola a couple of musicologists recorded him playing a few songs including Goodnight Irene. Apparently Governor Jimmie Davis heard it and said someone singing that good should not be in prison and Leadbelly got a pardon.

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