High Country

Instrument maker

Alleghany County, NC

Fred Roupe was born about twelve miles outside of Sparta in Alleghany County, and he was exposed to traditional music at a young age. His father played oldtime banjo and fiddle, and Fred was interested enough to start playing clawhammer banjo at age six. He heard Garr Bowers playing a three-finger banjo style at a jam in the Traphill community of Wilkes County, and Fred was hooked. He started working out his own three-finger style immediately.

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High Country

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Fred Roupe