Funded by The Library of Congress, folklorist John Lomax and his son Alan recorded Huddie Ledbetter aka Lead Belly singing "Goodnight Irene" (Lead Belly) in 1933 while he was in a Louisiana prison. He has recorded this song many, time times. Lead Belly didn't write the tune even though he is credited, but he did rewrite many of the verses. He said he learned the tune from relatives.

The Weavers (Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hayes and Fred Hellerman) with Gordon Jenkins and his orchestra version of "Goodnight Irene" (Huddie Ledbetter - John Lomax) was their first big hit topping the charts in 1950. This single was on the chart for most of that year! Lee Hayes and Pete Seeger were political activists during this period and they paid a price appearing before the 1955 House Committee on Un-American Activities.