Prince Albert Hunt | |
---|---|
Birth name | Archie Albert Hunt |
Born | Terrell, Texas, U.S. | December 20, 1896
Died | March 21, 1931 34) Dallas, Texas, U.S. | (aged
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]
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.
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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.
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.
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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!.
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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.
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.
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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.
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