Roots of American Fiddle Music - Early Fiddlers

Charley La Prade & the Blue Ridge Highballers
Charley Washington La Prade was born on November 17, 1888 in Franklin County Virginia,  the birthplace of Posey Rorer.  He spent the majority of his first 30 years in the Spray, North Carolina area and then subsequently moved to Danville, Virginia. 

Charley started playing stringed instruments as a boy and  he studied for a while under a Swedish violinist. "The Blue Ridge Highballers" were formed in the mid 1920's with Lonnie Griffith on guitar and Arthur Wells on the banjo.  The Blue Ridge Highballers cut 16 sides for Columbia in 1926 on  March 23 and 24 of which 14 were  released. La Prade added John Thomason, fiddle; Lewis B. Adams, guitar; and Lige Hardy, banjo and in 1927 cut 4 sides for Paramount Records.

La Prade was still an active fiddler when he died on April 24, 1958. 

The above information was drawn from Kinney Rorrer's lilner notes to County 407, The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings.

Charley La Prade & the Blue Ridge Highballers
 

  1. Are You Angry With Me Darling - (w/Thomason, Adams, & Hardy - 1927)
  2. Darling Child 
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 1
  3. Darneo
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 7
  4. Flop Eared Mule
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 5
  5. Fourteen Days in Georgia
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407 (1974), cut # 3
  6. Going Down to Lynchburg Town
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 2
  7. Green Mountain Polka
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 12
  8. I'm Tired of Living Here Alone - (w/Thomason, Adams, & Hardy - 1927)
  9. Jule Girl - (w/Thomason, Adams, & Hardy-1927)
  10. Red Wing - (w/Thomason, Adams, & Hardy-1927)
  11. Round Town Girls
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 10
  12. Sandy River Belle
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407 (1974), cut # 4
  13. Skidd More
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 6
  14. Soldier's Joy
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407 (1974), cut # 8
  15. Under the Double Eagle
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407 (1974), cut # 11
  16. Wish to the Lord I Had Never Been Born
    • The Blue Ridge Highballers 1926 Recordings, County 407(1974) , cut # 9