Lesley Riddle, born on June 13, 1905 in Burnsville, North Carolina, was an American musician and singer. After a workplace accident, he took up the guitar and began his musical journey. In December 1928, Riddle met A.P. Carter of the Carter Family, with whom he embarked on song-collecting trips around the region. Several songs he composed or transmitted were recorded by the Carter Family, including "Cannonball Blues" and "Hello Stranger." Riddle's innovative guitar technique influenced Maybelle Carter. In 1942, he moved to Rochester, New York, and retired from music for two decades. He returned to recording in 1965 with Mike Seeger, culminating in the album Step by Step: Lesley Riddle Meets The Carter Family released posthumously in 1993. Riddle died on July 13, 1979, in Asheville, North Carolina.
