Draft:J.B. Prince

James Bill "J.B." Prince was an American Bluegrass Fiddler. Known by numerous members of the bluegrass community, he played fiddle for musicians such as Del McCoury, Ralph Stanley, and Bill Monroe.

Early Life

Born in Haywood County, North Carolina to a music-centered family, he started playing fiddle at the age of 6. In the early-mid 1970's, Prince won numerous awards at Fiddlers Conventions. He made appearances on Carlton Haney's Camp Springs Bluegrass Music Festival in 1970 and 1971. In the fall of 1971, he made a guest appearance on the T.V. game show "To Tell The Truth," where the judges tried to guess which person was the real J.B. Prince out of three people.

Career

In 1973, he became the fiddle player for The Green Valley Ramblers, and the following year, he appeared on the cover of their 1974 album "Bluegrass Dawn." In 1981, after the death of Sonny Miller, the fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band, Prince was asked to replace him, and he accepted. He continued to play for the band until 1984. Later on, he played for the Bluegrass Cardinals. He also collaborated with Ralph Stanley, Ronnie Reno, Bill Monroe, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, and Bobby Hicks.

Later Life

After settling in Reidsville, Prince started giving music lessons in downtown Greensboro. Some of his students include Dewey Brown and Daniel Greeson. On weekends, Prince would perform with a group of friends at a local coffee shop. He passed away on July 7, 2015, at the age of 56.