There are several conflicting stories about how Ledbetter acquired the nickname "Lead Belly", but he probably acquired it while in prison.
Some claim his fellow inmates called him "Lead Belly" as a play on his family name and his physical toughness.
Others say he earned the name after being wounded in the stomach with buckshot.
Another theory is that the name refers to his ability to drink moonshine, the homemade liquor that Southern farmers, black and white, made to supplement their incomes.

Blues singer Big Bill Broonzy thought it came from a supposed tendency to lie about as if "with a stomach weighted down by lead" in the shade when the chain gang was supposed to be working.
Yet another theory is that it may be a corruption of his last name pronounced with a Southern accent.
Whatever its origin, he adopted the nickname as a pseudonym while performing.
There are several conflicting stories about how Ledbetter acquired the nickname "Lead Belly", but he probably acquired it while in prison. Some claim his fellow inmates called him "Lead Belly" as a play on his family name and his physical toughness. Others say he earned the name after being wounded in the stomach with buckshot. Another theory is that the name refers to his ability to drink moonshine, the homemade liquor that Southern farmers, black and white, made to supplement their incomes.
Blues singer Big Bill Broonzy thought it came from a supposed tendency to lie about as if "with a stomach weighted down by lead" in the shade when the chain gang was supposed to be working. Yet another theory is that it may be a corruption of his last name pronounced with a Southern accent. Whatever its origin, he adopted the nickname as a pseudonym while performing.
Lead Belly