Journal issue: Vol. 1, No. 2
Introducing Vol. 1, No. 2 of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter
I am excited to announce the publication of the second issue of The Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter. This issue features Chloe Webb’s fascinating account of the life of Lorraine Miles McFarland, the girl depicted on the cover of Awake, My Soul as well as a preview of the forthcoming shape note songbook the Shenandoah Harmony. A…
Sacred Harp’s “Yodeling Schoolgirl”: The Story of “Little Lorraine”
Without a doubt, the most recognizable face to Sacred Harp singers today is that of a little girl leading a song, one arm raised and holding in the other a large rectangular songbook. The sepia-toned photograph was chosen by Matt and Erica Hinton for the cover of their documentary Awake My Soul, the Story of…
The Southwest Texas Convention
This year my family and I went, for the third time, to the Spring session of the Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Convention. The convention was held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in McMahan, Texas on April 28–29. Here is what happened: We took what has become our standard route from our home in Atlanta: through Montgomery…
The 27th Midwest Sacred Harp Singing Convention
The Chicago class once again hosted the annual Midwest Convention, held this year on April 28 at the Historic Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, and on April 29 at the Irish American Heritage Center, both locations on Chicago’s north side. Attendance was robust, belying low expectations for a Midwest singing date falling at the end of April…
Fish Fry and Fasola: The Harrods Creek/Bob Meek Memorial Convention
The 17th annual Harrods Creek/Bob Meek Memorial Convention was held April 28–29, 2012 at Harrods Creek Baptist Church in Brownsboro—just outside Louisville, KY. We were blessed to have singers from Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Alabama, Colorado, and Minnesota in attendance. The singing was started by Bob Meek in 1991 as a one…
Fifth Sunday Singing in Old Chicora, Florida
Old Chicora, located approximately 40 miles southeast of Tampa, FL, on the far eastern edge of Hillsborough County, has been home to Sacred Harp singing since the late 1800s. Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church has been the site since the early 1920s, hosting singing every fifth Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, with dinner on the…
Small in Number Yet Full of Spirit: The Mt. Pisgah Singing in Sylvester, Georgia
Sacred Harp music is no stranger to southern Georgia. Its haunting melodies and messages have echoed through the generations bringing tears of joy and sorrow to countless singers. Unfortunately, the decades have taken their toll on this beloved tradition in this region. Where once singings were numerous, loud, and vibrant, now only a few remain. Though small in…
A Preview of The Shenandoah Harmony
I am pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of The Shenandoah Harmony, a new four-shape tunebook that will include about 450 songs in a compact format suitable for regular or all-day singing. The music committee includes John Del Re, Kelly Macklin, and Leyland Del Re of Virginia; Nora Dunn of Maryland; and Daniel Hunter, Myles…
“Lost Singers”: Help Needed
The Sacred Harp Publishing Company has been trying to reconnect with a number of individuals who have been associated with the Company. In some cases, we have had difficulty making contact: We have sent letters to last known addresses, searched various phone books, combed through minutes books and, and asked other singers for information about…