Theron Hale
Encyclopedia
Theron Hale was an American old-time
fiddle
and banjo
player. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry
in the late 1920s and 1930s, and is often remembered as a more laid back and sedate alternative to the raucous dance and "hoedown" music that dominated the Opry in its early days. Hale continued playing and recording until the late 1940s, often accompanied by Opry guitarist Sam McGee
.
Hale was born in Pikeville, Tennessee
in 1883. He lived in Iowa
for several years before moving to Nashville
to work as a farmer and salesman. Hale first gained regional fame as a banjo player in the early 1900s, and taught the instrument to Chattanooga
banjoist Homer Davenport. He joined the Grand Ole Opry (then called the WSM Barn Dance) in 1926. While he played both banjo and fiddle throughout his career, he only made recordings as a fiddle player. Hale's group "Theron Hale and Daughters"— which consisted of Hale on fiddle, Hale's daughter Elizabeth on piano, and daughter Mamie Ruth on either second fiddle or mandolin— recorded several tracks in 1928 and played regularly throughout the 1930s. The group dissolved after Mamie Ruth left in the late 1930s, although Theron continued playing informally throughout the following decade. Around 1948, Hale paired up with Opry guitarist Sam McGee to make several recordings for the Tennessee State Extension Project, which was promoting traditional square dancing music.
Unlike most Opry acts of the day, Hale preferred slow, traditional "twin fiddle" sets rather than dance music. Perhaps Hale's most well-known recording is "Hale's Rag," which was derived from a Charles L. Johnson
composition. His repertoire also included "Jolly Blacksmith," which he recorded with his daughters in 1928, and "Fire in the Mountain," which he recorded with Sam McGee in the late 1940s.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
and banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
in the late 1920s and 1930s, and is often remembered as a more laid back and sedate alternative to the raucous dance and "hoedown" music that dominated the Opry in its early days. Hale continued playing and recording until the late 1940s, often accompanied by Opry guitarist Sam McGee
McGee Brothers
The McGee Brothers were an American old-time performing duo consisting of brothers Sam McGee and Kirk McGee . Sam typically played guitar and Kirk usually played banjo or fiddle, although they were both proficient in multiple string instruments...
.
Hale was born in Pikeville, Tennessee
Pikeville, Tennessee
Pikeville is a city in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. It is also the county seat of Bledsoe County.-Geography:...
in 1883. He lived in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
for several years before moving to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to work as a farmer and salesman. Hale first gained regional fame as a banjo player in the early 1900s, and taught the instrument to Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
banjoist Homer Davenport. He joined the Grand Ole Opry (then called the WSM Barn Dance) in 1926. While he played both banjo and fiddle throughout his career, he only made recordings as a fiddle player. Hale's group "Theron Hale and Daughters"— which consisted of Hale on fiddle, Hale's daughter Elizabeth on piano, and daughter Mamie Ruth on either second fiddle or mandolin— recorded several tracks in 1928 and played regularly throughout the 1930s. The group dissolved after Mamie Ruth left in the late 1930s, although Theron continued playing informally throughout the following decade. Around 1948, Hale paired up with Opry guitarist Sam McGee to make several recordings for the Tennessee State Extension Project, which was promoting traditional square dancing music.
Unlike most Opry acts of the day, Hale preferred slow, traditional "twin fiddle" sets rather than dance music. Perhaps Hale's most well-known recording is "Hale's Rag," which was derived from a Charles L. Johnson
Charles L. Johnson
Charles Leslie Johnson was an American composer of ragtime and popular music. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas, died in Kansas City, Missouri, and lived his entire life in those two cities...
composition. His repertoire also included "Jolly Blacksmith," which he recorded with his daughters in 1928, and "Fire in the Mountain," which he recorded with Sam McGee in the late 1940s.
Discography
- Nashville: 1928 (Document, 1999) — contains "Hale's Rag" and "Jolly Blacksmith"
- Nashville - The Early String Bands, Vol. 2 (CountyCounty RecordsCounty Records also expanded into the bluegrass music genre, although Freeman preferred those artists who stayed the closest to their old-time roots. The label's first bluegrass release was 1965's Blue Ridge Bluegrass featuring Larry Richardson and the Blue Ridge Boys.-Related businesses:Freeman...
, 2000) — contains tracks "Hale's Rag," "Jolly Blacksmith," and "Fire In the Mountain"
External links
- Smithsonian Folkways Ragtime #2: The Country: Mandolins, Fiddles, and Guitars— contains sample of "Hale's Rag"