Born as Archie Albert Hunt on December 20, 1896, in Terrel Texas. Archie’s father, Archibald Hunt, was Irish, while his mother, Manasa Emma Lee Skates, was Cherokee. His parents and three other siblings were a very musical family, with influences from both sides of the family. Hunt was first exposed to the Fiddle by using his fathers at any chance he could get. Archie was said to have a natural musical talent and had incredible ear-training skills.
His hometown of Terrell Texas has great significance. It is another northeast city of texas that neighbors to the east of Dallas Texas. At the time, Terrell along with the rest of Kaufman county was the location of one of the largest production areas of cotton.
With the rapid increase of cotton crops came the relocation of African, Native, Black, and Mexican people to Kaufman County. As all of these people started coming to the area, not only did they bring themselves, they brought their music and culture along with them. Black southerners brought blues and Cajun music while Mexicans brought the polka-influenced música norteña. In Terrell prior to this influx of cultures, there was already a large popularity surrounding Fiddle music.
Popular musical events include barn dances and rodeos, and into his teenage years, Archie recognized this and offered to play at any and all events possible. At an event, he had overheard himself being referred to as the “Prince” of fiddle and adopted the nickname from then on.
Musically, his first band was called Prince Albert Hunt’s Texas Ramblers. He played the fiddle, guitar, and vocals along with bandmate Harmon Clem on fiddle, and another guitar player. The music they played was known as “Fast Fiddle” or popularized as “hot fiddle’, which is modernly known as Western Swing and contained jazz, blues, and a few Cajun influences.
Prince Albert was not especially known for being the best fiddler but rather for the performances and stage presence he contained. Another note to his performances was that he would often perform in blackface, and despite its offensiveness was quite common amongst Western swing artists. Its common nature was a result of the racisim that was clearly prevelant during this time as well as the stealing and appropriating of their music.
Prince Albert, Harmon Clem, and the uncredited guitarist on June 26, 1929, entered a Dallas studio to record for the last time, cutting 6 records one of which is lost. One of these tracks included “Wake up Jacob” which is one of Prince Albert’s most well-known tracks, going on to hold a lot of influences in western swing.
At the time Albert was living in Dallas, playing the fiddle in clubs, and had a weekly gig in the Orchestra at Confederate hall. At his weekly gig, he was shot and killed as a result of his relations with Hattie Douglas, a married but separated woman. Bob, Hatties Husband shot and killed Albert as a result of their relationship.
References
Brown, Ron. “The Wild Life (and Death) of Terrell’s Greatest Fiddler, Prince Albert Hunt.” D Magazine, 7 July 2021, https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2020/november/no-strings-attached/.
“Hunt, Archie Albert [Prince Albert] (1896–1931).” TSHA, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hunt-archie-albert-prince-albert.
“Prince Albert Hunt’s Texas Ramblers Biography, Songs, & Albums.” AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/prince-albert-hunts-texas-ramblers-mn0000361731/biography.
