Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The annual Decoration Day Singing at Shady Grove Baptist Church, Dutton, Alabama was held on the first Sunday in May. Eddie Brown welcomed the congregation and opened the singing. Leroy Digsby offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Ashley Brown 277; Jason Wilks and Maggie Wilks 30t, 145b; April Carter 448t; Leroy Digsby 36b; Myra Dalton 83t; Darlene Dalton and Charlotte Heard 503; Jim Ellis and Doug Rodgers 48t; Mark Carroll 441; Andrew Brown 87; Rhonda Arnold 63; Loyd Ivey 73t; Shane Wootten 155; Loretta Smith 39t.

RECESS

Eddie Brown and Mark Brown called the class back to order with 108 (t? b?).

Syble Adams conducted the memorial lesson. Representatives of each family were called to lead a song in memory of their loved ones: the Gilbert family 39b (for Ludie and Billy Gilbert); the Meadows family 348b (for Elder Warren G. Meadows); the Carroll family 129 (for Elder Arlon Carroll); the Wootten family 163t (for Jessie and Beulah Wootten, Amanda and Thomas Wootten); 59 in memory of Delma Brown and Betty Lynn Ellis; 486t (WB) in memory of the Johnson family (Lee, Morelle, Wallace and Pauline, Glen Dale and Erve Wallace); 312t for Carthel and Billy Kessler; “He’ll Hold My Hand” for Theodore Carroll and Evely Brown; the Wootten family 186 (for Chester and Delta Wootten); 162 (for Nancy and Matthew Kay, Jasper and Elisa Norwood); 376 (for Bill Wallace Childers); Syble Adams 559 (CB) for the following families: Smith, Medlock, Williams, Gobelet, Vance, Wymon, Loudennilk, Kemerly, and McKinney.

To remember the sick and shut-ins as well as our country’s leaders and the men and women in the military, the children from Shady Grove led 128 and 145 (t? b?). The memorial was closed.

LUNCH

Eddie Brown and Mark Brown called the class back to order with 176 (t? b?). Leaders: Tony Ivey 442; Coy Ivey 501 (CB); Alan Pritchett 146; Tim Dalton 270; Bud Oliver 421; Sam Sommers 422; Dewayne Wootten 56t; Charles Mitinger and son 552 (?); Ed Thacker 283; Richard Ivey 203; Jerry Creason 569b; Shawn Carroll 28b; Linda Sides 571 (CB); Karen Travis and Rachel Travis 29t; Levon Wootten and Jimmy Haynes 176 (t? b?); Robin Smith, Claudine Townson, and Olivia Allen 68b; Chuck Isbell and Kimberly Isbell 111t; Judson Latimer 277; David Brown 490; Betty Wright 511b (CB); Brenda Carroll 384; Sandy Ivey 225 (t? b?); Ryan Carter and April Carter 45 (t? b?) (in little book); Phil Cagle 50 (LD); Mark Provenson 406; Alan Posey 448b; Shane Wootten 505; Dena Jean Clingan and sons (Eddie Brown, Mark Brown, and Kevin Brown) 48t; Mark Brown “Sweet Beulah Land”; Syble Adams 99.

Singers whose selections were not recorded include Donna Wootten, Amy Glover, Lela Crowder, Gene Wootten, Scot Ivey, and Christy Blevins.

Announcements were made. Eddie Brown led 45t as the closing song. Elder Tony Ivey offered the closing payer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Eddie Brown; Secretary—Darlene Dalton.