Mary Jane Prince Queen (February 20, 1914 – June 29, 2007) was an American ballad singer and banjo player.
[1] Queen was born in Jackson County, North Carolina, and lived in the Caney Fork area for much of her life.
Her father, Jim Prince, was a clawhammer banjo player, and she learned many songs from working with him;[2] Her mother, Clearsie, was an able singer, as were both grandmothers, and she had eight siblings, many of whom were also musicians.
[3] With her husband, Claude Queen, she raised eight children; after his death she began singing at local and regional festivals.
[4] She also shared her knowledge of local traditions and history with many folklife organizations in North Carolina.