Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Thursday, June 13

The twenty-third session of the National Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Chairman Buell Cobb, who led song on page 52t. John Hollingsworth led the class in morning prayer. Leaders: Mark Davis 38b; Kathy Williams 313b; Jesse Roberts 234; Dan Huger 163b; Pat Temple 145t; Don Bowen 145b; John Redman 362; Mary Wright 290; Hubert Nall 503b; Cassie Franklin 334; Linton Ballinger 144; John Merritt 68b; Bob Bonnell 348b; Daphene Causey 174; Bill Hollingsworth 236; Vernelle Amason 143; Eugene Forbes 546; Henry Guthery 532; Judy Caudle 365.

RECESS

The class was called together by Danny Creel leading song on page 76b. Leaders: B.M. Smith 28b; Catherine Rogan 196; Kurt Davis 45t; Josh Rogan 460; Reed Coates 475; Zach Rogan 222. A business session was held with the following officers elected and appointed: Chairman—Buell Cobb; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Chaplain—Jesse Roberts; Secretary—Kathy Williams; Arranging Committee—Cath Oss, Hubert Nall, Dan Huger, Jill Townsend, and Berkley Moore; Finance Committee—Don Bowen and John Redman; Resolutions Committee—Pat Temple and Mary Wright; Memorial Committee—Mary Florence Smith and Sandie Scott. Leaders: Nate Green 359; J.L. Hopper 407; Hilda Morrison 317; Clarence McCool 349; Edith Tate 338; Elder Donald Smith 97; David Ivey 336; Ottis Sides 530; Shirley Berrey 480; Lomax Ballinger 99; Velton Chafin 488; Ozella Blackmon 187; Ruby Bowen 324; Andrew Snyder 77t; David Carlton 278b; Bill Hogan 51; Daniel Hopper 163t; David Lee 39t; Wilton Donaldson and Ivalene Donaldson 565; Travis Keeton 57; Janet Fraembs 335; Kay Sirco 552 (?); Linda Sides 454. Elder Jesse Roberts led the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Rodney Ivey opened the afternoon session leading song on page 81t. Leaders: Claire Outten 479; Dr. Bill Stewart 186; Danny Creel 269; Kermit Adams 192; Coy Ivey 384; Ginnie Ely 352; Bob Parr 112; Berkley Moore 157; Beverly Coates 142; Walter Hartley 178; Gaston White 66; Lou Cotney 218; Phill Wisor 138 (t? b?); Betty Jones 73t; Michelle Rogan 110; Vivian Rogan 282; Tony Singleton 496.

RECESS

Kathy Williams opened the last Thursday session leading song on page 273. Leaders: Jessica Roberts 217; Ted Johnson 430; Marlin Beasley 314; Judy Hauff 504; Sharon Kellam 260; Ila Ingle 436; Cora Sweatt 47b; Henry Bizzell 34b; Lucy Heidorn 40; Becky Briggs 318; Regina Parham 168; Julietta Haynes 216; John Hollingsworth 240.

Buell Cobb and Mark Davis led song on page 46 as the closing song. Elder J.L. Hopper led the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Friday, June 14

Chairman Buell Cobb led song on page 31b to open Friday’s session. Leaders: Mark Davis 129; Kathy Williams 131b; Jesse Roberts 250; Dan Huger 209; Patricia Temple 72b; Don Bowen 510; John Redman 146; Mary Wright 121; Hubert Nall 186; Cassie Franklin 216; Uel Freeman 65; Nate Green and Norma Green 549; Judy Mincey 571; Jeannette DePoy 339; Richard DeLong 542; Lee Rogers 424; Sally House 347; Seth Holloway 388; Charles Woods 447; Andrew Snyder 189.

RECESS

Dan Huger brought the class back to order leading song on page 501. Leaders: Helen Brown 442; Mike Hawkins 29t; H.J. Jackson 384; Robert Watkins 235; Tommie Spurlock 430; Ed Snell 335; Erskine Vandegrift 63; Jill Thompson 497; Diane Mennella 147b; Mark Brown 345b; Bernice Harvey 176b; Hannah Cooper 49b; Pauline Griggs 43; Joe Nall 211; Martha Henderson 114; Dennis George 198; Dorothea McCowan 196; Willodean Barton 82t; Steve Fletcher 272; Lela Crowder 224; Louis Hughes 448 (t? b?); Charles McCravy 143; Sarah Smith 337; Paul Wyatt 108b; David Light 192; LaRue Allen 302; Louise Holland 64; Floy Wilder 299; Chris Noren 383. Elder Jesse Roberts led the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

The class was called to order for the afternoon session by Jesse Roberts leading song on page 499. Leaders: Warren Steel 214; Edward Howton 436; Floy Wilder 293; Evelyn Harris 155; Ann Ballard 274t; Rodney Ivey 47t; Laura Clawson 362; Ruth Johnson 145t; Mary Florence Smith 207; Cath Oss 278t; Teenie Moody 142; Cathryn Baker 485; Elene Stovall 273; Richard Schmeidler 474; Brenda Pena 229; Ginnie Prater 220; Bruce Coates 566; Elizabeth Cusick 178; John Plunkett 360; Mark Davis 83b.

RECESS

Glenn Keeton brought the class together leading song on page 475. Leaders: Henry Johnson 418; Allison Schofield 270; Gary Rogan 100; Kennon Smith 268; Amanda Denson 385b; Eula Solomon 47b; Jim Helke 350; Morgan Bunch and Sue Bunch 122; Sandie Scott 45t; Jenny Acton 340; B.J. Harris 303; Nancy Yeager 523; Andrew Farris 147t; Alexandra Gilmore 95; David Yeager 148; Elric Elius 495.

Buell Cobb and Mark Davis led song on page 294 to close Friday’s session. Closing prayer was led by Chaplain Elder Jesse Roberts.

Saturday, June 15

Saturday’s session of the convention was called together by Chairman Buell Cobb leading song on page 312b. Elder Jesse Roberts led the morning prayer. Leaders: Phil Summerlin 35; Diane Wall 392; Toney Smith 326; Ron Harper 569b; Nell Estes 192; Susan Harcrow 436; Edna Phillips 490; Ginnie Ely 349; Phillip Langley 542; Harry Eskew 146; Kay Sirco 296; Charlene Wallace 276; Helen Brown 411; Ted Johnson 419; Lou Cotney 189; Richard DeLong 123 (t? b?); Ruth Cooper 200; Andrew Snyder 347; Marlin Beasley 408; Tony Singleton 277; Sharon Kellam 66t; Judith Green 384; Jill Thompson 454.

RECESS

Gary Smith brought the class back to order leading song on page 31t. Leaders: Judy Hauff 254; Cathryn Baker 472; Hugh McGraw 354b.

The Memorial Lesson followed. The list of deceased was read: Hubert Anderson, Delores Canady, Ethel McGough, Helen Connor Smith, Helen Smith Hall, Tommye Denson Mauldin, Doris Newton Vickery, Milford Watts, George Cox, Polly Moore, Dr. James L. Howell, Freeman Wootten, Roie Alexander, Lydia Phillips Baswell, Lawrence Underwood, Lula Underwood, and Elizabeth Rose Acton—Alabama; Verdie McGraw Woods and Virginia Redman—Georgia; Winifred Bruner—Iowa; Nobie Smith—Texas; Jerilyn Schumacher and John Bailey—Illinois; Richard Hooke—Massachusetts; Frances Beasley Lee—Florida; Frank Sills—Tennessee; Barbara Griggs, Winston Renford Smith, Ralph Lynn, and Joan Gillanders—United Kingdom; the victims of 9/11/01. Mary Florence Smith and Sandie Scott made comments about the Sacred Harp tradition of remembering the deceased in the memorial lesson, and then led songs on pages 122 and 426 (t? b?) for the deceased and for the sick and shut-ins.

Leaders: Kathy Williams 340; Jack Pate 348b; Michelle Rogan 323 (t? b?); Hannah Cooper 148; Bob Parr 288; Steve Fletcher 48t; Henry Johnson 375; John Plunkett 297; Lena Keeton 475; Jessica Roberts 181; Vivian Rogan 535b; Cath Oss 56b; Daphene Causey 140; Josh Rogan 53; Walter Hartley 452; Gaston White 236; Phill Wisor 319. Elder Jesse Roberts led the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Dennis George brought the afternoon session to order leading song on page 217. Leaders: Elene Stovall 430; Beverly Coates 481; Jim Helke 390; Diane Mennella 564; John Hollingsworth 358; Henry Bizzell 127; Robert Simmons 532; Liz Bryant 492; Reed Coates 182; Catherine Rogan 203; Jarrod George 300; Zach Rogan 215; Allison Schofield 440; David Yeager 267; Lela Crowder and Laura Clawson 274t; Martha Henderson 428; Morgan Bunch and Sue Bunch 77t; Richard Schmeidler 84; Brenda Pena 341; Paul Wyatt 441.

RECESS

Chris Noren reconvened the class leading song on page 99. Leaders: Alexandra Gilmore 47b; Bruce Coates 48b; Mattie Townsel 137; Michelle Rogan 196; Ashley Keeton and Glenn Keeton 504; Elric Elius 209; Rodney Ivey and Robert Watkins 222; Cora Sweatt 445; Betty Jones 421; Teenie Moody 224; Gary Rogan 56t; Eugene Forbes 551; Julietta Haynes 269; Ila Ingle 442; Bill Hollingsworth 500.

The convention went into a business session to hear committee reports.

The Finance Committee report was given by John Redman and Don Bowen who reported that contributions were such that all expenses of the convention were met.

Resolutions Committee Report. Be it resolved that this convention:

• Renders grateful thanks to God, whose presence among the singers assembled here from many places, has graced us with a true sense of fellowship and community.
• Gives gratitude to those persons whose hard work has smoothed the way for all of us to enjoy this singing fellowship. In particular, thanks be given to: the Arranging Committee; Finance Committee; Memorial Committee; the food suppliers, all those wonderful cooks who have fed us so royally these days, ably organized by Ann Ballard and Charlie Ballard.
• Respectfully thanks those talented individuals whose pitching has guided us throughout the convention.
• Expresses its delight in the fellowship felt each day, realizing that much of it is due to the hand of Buell Cobb and his loyal, efficient, patient, and talented officers.

Respectfully submitted by the Resolutions Committee, Patricia Temple and Mary Wright.

Secretary Kathy Williams gave the following report: 467 people from 18 states, United Kingdom, and Australia registered during the three-day convention. Of those, 140 leaders stood in the square, leading 245 songs. The numbers by states and countries were: Alabama—324; Georgia—50; Massachusetts—13; Texas—12; Tennessee—10; Florida—10; Illinois—8; Mississippi—6; Louisiana—4; New York—3; North Carolina—3; Maryland—2; Minnesota—2; Virginia—2; New Mexico—1; Washington—1; South Carolina—1; Kentucky—1; United Kingdom—8; Australia—4.

A motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted and added to the minutes. The business session was closed.

The officers led song on page 62 as the closing song as those who wished took the parting hand to close the convention. Chaplain Jesse Roberts led the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Buell Cobb; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Chaplain—Elder Jesse Roberts; Secretary—Kathy Williams.