# NYC 1935: Leadbelly, Negro Minstrel & Sweet Swamp Singer To Perform Between Homicides

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-1935-leadbelly-negro-minstrel-sweet-swamp-singer-to-perform-between-homicides/277237>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 29, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-1935-leadbelly-negro-minstrel-sweet-swamp-singer-to-perform-between-homicides/277237 "2004-11-29T23:51:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-1935-leadbelly-negro-minstrel-sweet-swamp-singer-to-perform-between-homicides/277237/1 "2004-11-29T23:51:34Z")

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MMSIMS: Mundane Musical Stuff I Must Share

I like the blues and I really dont grasp the whole ‘Leadbelly worship’ phenomenon. But that being said, I was surprised to read [this article](http://www.nydailynews.com/city_life/big_town/) today. I can’t believe headlines like this were read by people like my maternal grandparents.

The NYC Press, ca 1935:

> [@The Herald Tribune](#):
>
> LOMAX ARRIVES WITH LEAD BELLY, NEGRO MINSTREL, SWEET SINGER OF THE SWAMPLANDS HERE TO DO A FEW TUNES BETWEEN HOMICIDES.

> [@Time Magazine](#):
>
> “Murderous Minstrel.”

There are a few quoted lines in the article I bet modern day hip-hoppers or rock stars wouldn’t mind being credited to them:

> [@](#):
>
> “A walking, singing, fighting album…(a) voice (that) causes brown-skinned women to swoon and produces a violently inverse effect upon their husbands and lovers…‘a natural’ who had no idea of money, law or ethics and was possessed of virtually no self-restraint.”