Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Thursday, June 14

The 28th session of the National Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Buell Cobb leading 52t. The opening prayer was offered by Mark Davis.

Leaders: Mark Davis 37b; Jim Helke 77b; Hubert Nall 36b; Lee Bradley 361; Victoria Bolles 479; George Pomfret 515; John Redman 475; Don Bowen 503; Gaston White 99; Chris Cotter 168; Henry Johnson 138t; Carroll Lunsford 32t; Bea Carnathan 568; Loyd Ivey 89; Anne Chalker 146; Judy Caudle 344; Walter Hartley 347; Nancy Van Den Akker 205; Don Clark 151; Karen Rollins 327.

RECESS

Ginnie Ely brought the class back together leading 145b. Leaders: Richard Ivey 422; Cheryl Foreman 546; Donna Gunderson-Rogers 47t; Richard Mauldin 358; J.L. Hopper 412; Gene Pinion 147t; Henry Guthery 108t.

A business session was called to order for the election of officers, as follows: Co-Secretaries—Sharona Nelson and Cheryl Foreman; Chaplain—Jesse Roberts; Arranging Committee—Gaston White, Hubert Nall, Lee Bradley, Sandie Scott, and James Wagner. Chairman Buell Cobb announced that he is retiring as Chairman and suggested holding an additional meeting on Friday to discuss future leadership of the Convention and postponing the election of Chairman and Vice Chairman until the Saturday session. The class voted to accept the Chairman’s proposal.

Leaders: Bob Parr 528; Mary Whitehurst 350; Frank Strickland 66; Billy Thompson 335; Judy Mincey 497; Sue Bunch 102; Morgan Bunch 230; Uel Freeman 388; Travis Keeton 290; Marlin Beasley 137; Coy Ivey 222; James Page 538; Judy Hauff 74b; Beth Anne Clay 63; Delone Cobbs 59; Charles McCravy 208; Ginnie Ely 228; George Pomfret 38b; Lee Rogers 91. Marlin Beasley offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Mark Davis reconvened the class leading 76b. Leaders: Cora Sweatt and Corissa Sweatt 72b and 30t; Kyle Massengale 274t; Bill Stewart and Brody Crock 569b; Josie Hyde 507; Danny Creel 269; Ruth Wyers 480; Floy Wilder 432; Linda Thomas 391; Ken Tate 389; Eugene Forbes 189; James M. Wagner 268; Helen Bryson 522; Mike Hinton 456; Ila Ingle 436; Amanda Denson 433; Sarah Smith 340; Tom Ivey 547; Sandie Scott 317; Caleb Dillehay 163b.

RECESS

Buell Cobb brought the class back together leading 128. Leaders: Warren Steel 400; Rodney Ivey 225t; Johanna Fabke 122; Ellen Gwynn 270; Marilyn Burchett 551; Sharona Nelson 294; Kurt Davis 155; Julietta Haynes 211; Lena Keeton 200.

Buell Cobb and Mark Davis led 46 to close Thursday’s session. The closing prayer was offered by Elder J.L. Hopper.

Friday, June 15

Friday’s session was opened by Buell Cobb leading 31b. Jesse Roberts offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Mark Davis 29t; Cheryl Foreman 318; Jesse Roberts 428; Hubert Nall 212; Victoria Bolles 171; Jim Helke 75; Don Bowen 34b; George Pomfret 556; Gaston White 236; John Redman 349; James M. Wagner 504; Mike Hinton and John Etheridge 384; Sandie Scott 145b; Sharona Nelson 36b; Louis Hughes 448t; Phillip Langley 211; John Merritt and Jim Helke 358; William Reynolds and Tim Reynolds 59, 547.

RECESS

The class reconvened with Mark Davis leading 126. Leaders: Jonathan Smith 203; Robert Kelley 66; Lela Crowder 440; Bobbie Goodell 270; Gary Smith 569b; John Plunkett 470; Erin Mills 76b; Carol Langston 314; Bunk Beasley 72b; Bill Hogan 220; Douglas Foster 276; Uel Freeman 388; Chris Green 455; Amber Davis 224; Kathy Robinson 192; Stanley Smith 193; Ernestine Pipkin 110; Diane Mennella 218; Tommie Spurlock 565; Jennifer Allred 377; Joe Nall 430; Ann Webb 142; Geraldine Sharpton 299; Becky Briggs 460; Nancy Tuck 335. The blessing of the noon meal was offered by Jesse Roberts.

LUNCH

John Merritt and Warren Steel brought the afternoon session together leading 400. Leaders: Alex Makris 84; James S. Wagner and J.C. Wagner 551; Jeannette DePoy 496; Virgil Campbell 65; Larry Ballinger 112; Scott DePoy 47b; Nate Green and Norma Green 98; Leon Ballinger 99; Micah Roberts 354b; Robert DuPree 40; Dorothea McCowan 542; Harrison Creel and Cassie Allen 498; Bridgett Hill 391; John Etheridge and Bridgett Hill 222; Richard Chesney and Daryl Chesney 503; Matt Hinton 365; Henry McGuire 280; Sonya Sipe 208; Arlon Gardner 457; Mary Whitehurst 448b; Chris Holley 268; J.L. Hopper 454.

RECESS

Phillip Langley brought the class back to order leading 328. Leaders: Amanda Denson, Mike Hinton, and Anne Chalker 159; Elene Stovall 436; Bob Chamberlain, Charlie Boyd, and Walter Hartley 178; Chris Cotter 209; Beasley family 81t; Rodney Ivey and Linda Thomas 56t; Beth Anne Clay 274t; Judy Caudle 564. Buell Cobb and Mark Davis led 323t as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Elder J.L. Hopper.

Saturday, June 16

Saturday’s session was called to order by Buell Cobb leading 75. Jesse Roberts offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Mark Davis 129; Cheryl Foreman 481; Jesse Roberts 196; Hubert Nall 299; Victoria Bolles 474; Jim Helke 368; Lee Bradley 127; Don Bowen 283; George Pomfret 162; John Redman 38b; Gaston White 186; James M. Wagner 490; Sandie Scott 385b; Earl Ballinger 171; Terry Hogg 535; Pam Eckhardt 63; Charles C. Walker 155; Melanie Hauff 34t.

RECESS

Warren Steel brought the class back to order leading 442. Leaders: Nell Estes 269; Charles McCravy 204; David Carlton 496; Bobby Watkins 33b; Gail Doss 302; Karen Clark 540; Henry Johnson 166; Carroll Lunsford and Julietta Haynes 282; Natalie Davis 354b; Bea Carnathan 80b; Anne Chalker 235; Walter Hartley 300; Mary Whitehurst 143; Henry McGuire 183; Nancy Van Den Akker 31t.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Mike Hinton and Sharona Nelson. Sharona Nelson spoke of those who are sick and shut-ins and remembered those who are their caretakers. Sharona Nelson and Mike Hinton led 209 in their honor.

Mike Hinton read verses about life, faith, death, and heaven from the tunes we love so much, and then read the names of the deceased: Flarce Creel, Heath Jett, John Hyde, James H. Swindall, Kate Swindall, and Eldora Moody—Alabama; Marcia Tucker—California; Dr. Kenneth Gray—Florida; Peggy Jerrell, Bobby Jackson, Mary Hackney, Albert Bryson, Helen Plunkett, Jessie Bryson, and Jim Monroe—Georgia; Ellen Guthrie—Mississippi; Agnes Bryant—Maine; Alice Gant Watkin, Glenn Burchett, and Hibbard Thatcher—Tennessee; Mary Ballinger and Dr. Fred Becker—Texas. Mike Hinton and Sharona Nelson led 373 in their memory. Jesse Roberts closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Seth Holloway 274t; Don Clark 387; Gene Pinion 232; Donna Gunderson-Rogers 77b; Bob Parr 304; Frank Strickland 480. Henry Johnson offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The singing reconvened with Jesse Roberts leading 406. Leaders: Alex Makris and Norma Green 384; Cora Sweatt, Corissa Sweatt, and Natalie Davis 111b; James S. Wagner 53; Andrew Hill and Ryan Austin 47b; Caleb Dillehay 217; Bobbie Goodell 426b; James Page 505; Judy Hauff 536; Ginnie Ely 454; Chris Holley 475; Amanda Denson and Karen Clark 486; Judy Mincey 510; Sue Bunch 378b; Morgan Bunch 324; Micah Roberts 45t; Leon Ballinger and Lomax Ballinger 424; Jeanette DePoy 362.

A business session was called to order to hear committee reports. The Finance Committee thanked the Convention for contributions that were sufficient to cover expenses.

The Resolutions Committee thanked everyone who performed all the tasks required to keep the Convention operating smoothly, and extended a special thank you to Buell Cobb for 15 years of patient, cheerful, and visionary leadership.

The Secretary reported that 467 people from twenty-one states registered during the Convention: Alabama—356; Georgia—28; Tennessee—23; Mississippi—14; Florida—10; Illinois—5; South Carolina—5; Texas—5; Massachusetts—4; Louisiana—2; Maine—2; New York—2; Washington, DC—2; Wisconsin—2; Arizona—1; California—1; Colorado—1; Minnesota—1; New Jersey—1; North Carolina—1; Oregon—1. There were 151 leaders who led 234 songs.

Officers were elected as follows: Chairman—Mark Davis; Vice Chairman (Location and Public Relations)—Gaston White; Vice Chairman (Treasurer and Fund Raising)—Buell Cobb; Secretary—Kathy Williams; Chaplain—Jesse Roberts.

A motion was made and carried to accept the reports, and the business session was closed.

RECESS

Larry Ballinger brought the class back to order leading 78. Leaders: Marilyn Burchett 358; Tom Ivey and Sharon Ivey 89; Ellen Gwynn and Beverly Dayton 347; Arlon Gardner 56b; Johanna Fabke 472; Mike Hinton and Willard Gross 388; Elene Stovall, Linda Thomas, and Amanda Denson 556; Delone Cobbs 49b; Lena Keeton and friend Jeannie 546; Sarah Smith 145b; Ila Ingle 500; Jennifer Clay 445.

Buell Cobb, Mark Brown, and Jesse Roberts led 62 as the traditional closing song of the Convention, and those who wished took the parting hand. Jesse Roberts offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Buell Cobb; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Co-Secretaries—Cheryl Foreman and Sharona Nelson