The earliest known performance of Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie dates back to 1936, and was popularized by American folk musician Huddie Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly. Lead Belly was a great musician of the 20th century for the songs that he wrote, discovered, and shared, and for his skills on the guitar (which gave him the nickname “King of the 12-String Guitar”). His music influenced many famous musicians such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, The Beatles, Bob Dylan. It’s possible that Lead Belly may have based Bring Me Little Water, Sylvieon a traditional American song, or it’s possible that he may have written the song himself. When performing this song, Lead Belly would often tell his audiences that the song was about his uncle Bob Ledbetter, who worked out on the fields plowing the soil. When he got thirsty, he would call for his wife, Sylvie, to bring him some water.
Songs with Banjo from Harold Hagler
