In April 2015, breakout artist Valerie June performed at the Kennedy Center as part of an all-star line-up for the Lead Belly at 125 tribute concert honoring the great American songster Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter. In a rehearsal space the day before, she interpreted the American folk standard "Irene (Goodnight, Irene)," a signature song that is included in the new box set Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection.

The Kennedy Center, in collaboration with the GRAMMY Museum®, hosted “Lead Belly at 125: A Tribute to an American Songster in Washington" on April 25, 2015 for the 125th anniversary of Lead Belly's birth. This one night-only event celebrated his artistry and lasting influence, with many of today’s top folk and blues artists performing his well-known classics. It followed Smithsonian Folkways' release of the first career-spanning box set dedicated to the American music icon, Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection.