There's a ceremony this afternoon at 414 E. 10th St. between Avenue C and Avenue D, the former apartment building of Huddie William Ledbetter — better known as blues and folk great Lead Belly.
Via the Facebook invite:
The ceremony will highlight Lead Belly's time in New York, when he played for children in Tompkins Square Park, performed at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and the Vanguard, was the subject of two New Yorker pieces during his lifetime, and laid the groundwork for the folk revival.
A plaque will be affixed to the building which Lead Belly called home for around a decade in the 1940s, and where he hosted folk greats including Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Cisco Houston.
The event will commence at 3 pm (the start time was originally scheduled for 4:30), and will include special guests. Music may follow at a nearby establishment.
Lead Belly, who died on 1949, was born on this date in 1888. There is a Lead Belly Fest at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium on Feb. 4 featuring Buddy Guy, Eric Burdon of The Animals and Marky Ramone, among many other musicians.
