Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest, Episode 2: Lead Belly

1965 · music

This is a solo performance by Pete Seeger, in which he sings some of the songs composed by the famous black folksinger Huddie Ledbetter. He also performs his well-known allegorical story about the power of music, Abiyoyo. Rare films of Leadbelly are included. Rainbow Quest was a television program produced for one series run in 1965 and 1966 by the Advertisers Broadcasting Company for UHF station WNJU-TV in the New York City market. Throughout the show's 39-episode run, writer and curator of American folk songs Pete Seeger hosted many guest musicians. He also himself presented the histories of diverse American and international folk music traditions through spoken and musical segments.