Theron Hale

Theron Evan Hale (May 21, 1883 – January 29, 1954) 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.^[1][2]

Biography

Hale was born in

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.^[4]

He died on January 29, 1954.

Discography

• Nashville: 1928 (Document, 1999) — contains "Hale's Rag" and "Jolly Blacksmith"
• Nashville - The Early String Bands, Vol. 2 (County, 2000) — contains tracks "Hale's Rag," "Jolly Blacksmith," and "Fire In the Mountain"

References

External links

• Smithsonian Folkways Ragtime No. 2: The Country: Mandolins, Fiddles, and Guitars— contains sample of "Hale's Rag"