Harry Belafonte

Belafonte at Carnegie Hall

First released1959

Belafonte at Carnegie Hall was recorded live at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 3, 1962, capturing a performance that showcased the singer's calypso and folk repertoire before a concert audience. The album was produced by Alan Lomax, the renowned American musicologist and folklorist known for his work in documenting American folk music traditions. The live recording preserved the spontaneous energy and interaction between Belafonte and his audience, with RCA Records releasing the album later that year. The technical capture of the performance represented the capabilities of live recording technology in the early 1960s. The album became one of Belafonte's most commercially successful releases and helped cement his status as a major recording artist during the height of the folk music revival.