Prince Albert Hunt

Last updated
Prince Albert Hunt
Birth nameArchie Albert Hunt
Born(1896-12-20)December 20, 1896
Terrell, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 1931(1931-03-21) (aged 34)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genres Country blues
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)

Archie "Prince" Albert Hunt (December 20, 1896 - March 21, 1931) from Terrell, Texas [1] was an American country blues fiddle player. He was one of the founders of the musical genre later defined as Western swing.

Hunt was born as Archie Albert Hunt in Terrell, Texas to Archibald Hunt and Manasa Emma Lee Skates. [2] As a child, he learned to play the fiddle by stealing his father's instrument and self-teaching himself in a nearby graveyard. Though much of Hunt's personal life is obscure, it is known he served in the First World War, and his first professional work as a musician was as a member of a traveling minstrel show, in the early 1920s. [3] On March 28, 1928, Hunt and his group, the Texas Ramblers, which included violinist Harmon Clem and an unknown guitarist, recorded in San Antonio for Okeh Records. [4] Of the sides the group laid down, "Blues in the Bottle" was arguably his most accomplished for its diverse assortment of country blues, ragtime and old-time music. It was later included in Rich Nevins' compilation album, Times Ain’t Like They Used to Be, Volume 1 along with other contemporaries. [3]

In addition to being a recording artist, Hunt regularly performed on local radio stations and venues, usually in blackface, with his neighbors Doc and Oscar Harper. Hunt particularly favored the neighborhood known as Deep Ellum, which was also frequented by other blues musicians, but notorious for its red-light district. On June 26, 1929, Hunt and the Texas Ramblers recorded for the last time, with the session taking place in Dallas. Among the six songs recorded was "Wake Up, Jacob" which was featured on the renowned compilation created by Harry Everett Smith, Anthology of American Folk Music , in 1952. An unknown composition was cut, but was either never released or no original copies exist. The song, "Oklahoma Rag" was released as under Prince Albert Hunt and Hermon Clem. The recordings were later seen as a primary influence in Western swing and country music in general. [5] [6]

On 31 March 1931 Hunt was shot to death outside Confederate Hall. His assailant, William M. Douglas, reported that he murdered Hunt out of jealousy for dancing with his wife. [5] In 1974, a documentary titled Memories of Prince Albert Hunt was released and was centered on the musician's life. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Wills</span> American musician (1905–1975)

James Robert Wills was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing. He was also noted for punctuating his music with his trademark "ah-haa" calls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cajun music</span> Music of Cajun Louisiana is rooted in ballads of French-speaking Canadians

Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana played by the Cajuns, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Although they are two separate genres, Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem with the Creole-based zydeco music. Both are from southwest Louisiana and share French and African origins. These French Louisiana sounds have influenced American popular music for many decades, especially country music, and have influenced pop culture through mass media, such as television commercials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Texas</span> Overview of music traditions in the U.S. state of Texas

The U.S. state of Texas has long been a center for musical innovation and is the birthplace of many notable musicians. Texans have pioneered developments in Tejano and Conjunto music, Rock 'n Roll, Western swing, jazz, punk rock, country, hip-hop, electronic music, gothic industrial music, religious music, mariachi, psychedelic rock, zydeco and the blues.

Western swing music is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the West and South among the region's Western string bands. It is dance music, often with an up-tempo beat, which attracted huge crowds to dance halls and clubs in Texas, Oklahoma and California during the 1930s and 1940s until a federal war-time nightclub tax in 1944 contributed to the genre's decline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music history of the United States (1900–1940)</span>

Music in the United States underwent many shifts and developments from 1900 to 1940. The country survived both World War I and the Great Depression before entering World War II in December 1941. Americans endured great loss and hardship but found hope and encouragement in music. The genres and styles present during this period were Native American music, blues and gospel, jazz, swing, Cajun and Creole music, and country. The United States also took inspiration from other cultures and parts of the world for her own music. The music of each region differed as much as the people did. The time also produced many notable singers and musicians, including jazz figure Louis Armstrong, blues and jazz singer Mamie Smith, and country singer Jimmie Rodgers.

<i>A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills)</i> 1970 studio album by Merle Haggard

A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World is the eleventh studio album by Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown</span> American musician

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown was an American singer and multi-instrumentalist from Louisiana. He won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1983 for his album, Alright Again!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Poole</span> American musician

Charles Cleveland Poole was an American musician, singer, banjo player, and leader of the North Carolina Ramblers, which was a string band that recorded many popular songs between 1925 and 1930.

"Cocaine Blues" is a Western swing song written by Troy Junius Arnall, a reworking of the traditional song "Little Sadie." Roy Hogsed recorded a well known version of the song in 1947.

"Corrine, Corrina" is a 12-bar country blues song in the AAB form. "Corrine, Corrina" was first recorded by Bo Carter. However, it was not copyrighted until 1932 by Armenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon and his publishers, Mitchell Parish and J. Mayo Williams. The song is familiar for its opening verse:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Bruner</span> Musical artist

Clifton Lafayette Bruner was a fiddler and bandleader of the Western Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. Bruner's music combined elements of traditional string band music, improvisation, blues, folk, and popular melodies of the times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Gimble</span> American country music fiddler (1926–2015)

John Paul Gimble was an American country musician associated with Western swing. Gimble was considered one of the most important fiddlers in the genre. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 in the early influences category as a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luderin Darbone</span> American fiddler

Luderin Lawrence Darbone, was a Cajun-Western swing fiddle player for the band Hackberry Ramblers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guitar Boogie (song)</span> Instrumental first recorded by Arthur Smith

"Guitar Boogie" is a guitar instrumental recorded by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith in 1945. It was one of the first recordings in the style later dubbed "hillbilly boogie" to reach a widespread audience, and eventually sold nearly three million copies. It was the first guitar instrumental to climb the country music charts, and then crossover and also gain high rankings on the popular music charts. "Guitar Boogie" has been interpreted and recorded by a variety of musicians. It is among the songs discussed as the first rock and roll record.

Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas was an American country blues singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is best remembered for his slide guitar playing and for several recordings he made in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Blues scholars seem undecided if his nickname referred to his style of playing or to his itinerant nature. He was the brother of the blues musician Jesse Thomas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old time fiddle</span> Style of American fiddling

Old timefiddle is the style of American fiddling found in old-time music. Old time fiddle tunes are derived from European folk dance forms such as the jig, reel, breakdown, schottische, waltz, two-step, and polka. When the fiddle is accompanied by banjo, guitar, mandolin, or other string instruments, the configuration is called a string band. The types of tunes found in old-time fiddling are called "fiddle tunes", even when played by instruments other than a fiddle.

Westerns swing originated in the 1920s and 1930s; small towns in the US Southwest. Although sometimes subject to the term "Texas swing" it is widely associated with Tulsa, others contend that "Western Swing music finds deep roots in the dust bowl of Oklahoma", and its influences include jazz from the major urban centers of the United States. Its stylistic origins lie in Old Time, Western, blues, folk, swing, Dixieland and jazz. Writing in Rolling Stone, Dan Hicks described it as Texas-bred music grafted to jazz, or as "white country blues with a syncopated beat.".

Ida May Mack or Ida Mae Mack was an American classic female blues, country blues, and Texas blues singer and songwriter. She recorded eight songs in 1928, four of which she recorded twice. Six of these tracks were released at the time.

Joe Mullins is an American banjo player, vocalist, band leader, and radio broadcaster. He plays bluegrass and gospel music.

Shelly Lee Alley was an American singer, musician, songwriter and western swing bandleader. As a songwriter, Alley wrote "Travelin' Blues" for Jimmie Rodgers, a song which has been recorded by over 20 artists, including Merle Haggard and Ernest Tubb. He is a member of the Western Swing Hall of Fame. He is considered one of Texas' best bandleaders of the 1930s and 1940s and a pioneer of western swing music.

References

  1. Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers | Biography & History | AllMusic Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  2. Brown, Ron. "The Wild Life (and Death) of Terrell's Greatest Fiddler, Prince Albert Hunt". D Magazine. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  3. 1 2 King, Christopher. "OCCURRENCE AT DEEP ELLUM". Oxford America. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  4. Chadbourne, Eugene. "Prince Albert's Texas Ramblers - Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Palinski, Laurie (2012). Handbook to Texas Music. Texas State Historical Association. ISBN   9780876112977.
  6. "Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers". redhotjazz.com. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  7. "Prince Albert Hunt". folkstreams.net. Retrieved July 8, 2015.