Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Thursday, June 12

The 35th session of the National Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Mark Davis leading 81t. The opening prayer was offered by Elder Jesse Roberts.

Leaders: Gaston White 155; Hubert Nall 36b; Buell Cobb 74b; Cheryl Foreman 472; Jesse Roberts 411; Kathy Williams 217; Helen Brown 313t; Mike Hinton 373; Mary Whitehurst 135; Gary Smith 344; Sonny Erwin 493; Jim Aaron 47b; Marlin Beasley and Becky Strickland 318; Judy Chambless 540; Wayne Jones 385t; Gary Padgett 278b; Ann Gray 142; Robert Chambless 70t; Bea Aaron 456; Jack Nelson 560.

RECESS

Jesse Roberts called the class back together by leading 65. Leaders: Richard Mauldin 89; Randy Webber 236; Marian Mitchell 549; Glenn Keeton 475.

The Convention went into business session with the following officers and committee members elected and/or appointed: Chairman—Mark Davis; Vice Chairmen—Buell Cobb, Gaston White, and Hubert Nall; Chaplain—Jesse Roberts; Secretaries—Kathy Williams and Cheryl Foreman; Arranging Committee—Helen Brown, Mary Whitehurst, and Sonny Erwin; Resolutions Committee—Gary Smith and James Wagner; Memorial Committee—Scott Kennedy and Jesse Roberts.

Leaders: Henry Johnson 55; Wyatt Denney 277; Micah Roberts 178; Connor Campbell 101t; Lisa Geist 291; Becky Briggs 426t; Danny Creel 383; Nate Green and Norma Green 332.

RECESS

Glenn Keeton reconvened the class leading 270. Leaders: Anne Missavage 49b; Daniel Lee 497; Carla Smith and Jerry Schreiber 294; Annalise Perone and Frances Miller 474; Ian West 300; Karen Willard 550; Eugene Forbes 189; Melanie Hauff 421; Dan Brittain 430; Karen Rollins 317; Earl Ballinger 177; Kermit Adams 99; Jonathan Smith 428; Kathy Folsom 340. Jesse Roberts offered the blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was brought to order by Nathan Rees leading 35. Leaders: Eddie Mash 547; Phillip Denney 313b; Judy Hauff 392; Larry Ballinger 551; Ted Brown 339; Idy Kiser 112; Leon Ballinger 280; David Ivey 406; Pam Nunn 528; Jesse Karlsberg 481; Gillian Inksetter 195; Sharon DuPriest 208; Aldo Ceresa 532; Lisa Bennett 440; Stephen Conte 408; Lauren Bock 83b; Rebecca Over 306; Waylon Blakeley 328; David Smead 50t; Elene Stovall 316; Margaret Gillanders 542; David Brodeur 504; Chita Blakeley 269; Steve Adams 331; Kate Fortin 372; Scott DePoy 448t; Destiny Woods 107; Frank Griggs 351; Cecelia Kramer 168; Esteban Veliz 163b; Louise Holland 441; Barb VanderJagt 122; Peter Stenshoel 445; Clarissa Fetrow 326; Douglas Conn 67; Susan Cherones 173; Len VanderJagt 569b; Marlin Beasley and Becky Strickland 59.

Mark Davis led 46 as the closing song. Elder Jesse Roberts offered the closing prayer.

Friday, June 13

Friday’s session of the National Sacred Harp Convention began with Mark Davis leading 91. Pastor Troy Tatum of First Christian Church offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Gaston White 68b; Hubert Nall and Rev. Troy Tatum 63; Buell Cobb 275t; Kathy Williams 80b; Jesse Roberts 263; Cheryl Foreman 228; Helen Brown 182; Mike Hinton 480; Sonny Erwin 534; Mary Whitehurst 543; Scott Kennedy 546; James Wagner 457; Don Allen and Vicky Allen 105; Charlotte Ehrman 157; Wade Kotter 303; T.J. Mauldin and Richard Mauldin 38b; Sarah Beasley 340; Paul Wyatt 53; Nathan Rees and Jonathan Smith 172.

RECESS

Elene Stovall led 392 to bring the class back together. Leaders: Judy Chambless 527; Delone Cobbs and Christopher Mann 106; Dana Eddins and Emily Eddins 47t; Eli Hinton 65; Elizabeth Royappa 117; Micah Roberts 477; Evie Eddins 30b; Kevin Eddins and sons 324; Dorothea Maynard 304; Robert Chambless 145t; Amy Armstrong 440; Chris Green 326; Kate Fortin 396; Clarissa Fetrow 382; B.M. Smith 475; Frank Griggs 29t; Destiny Woods 542; Darrell Swarens 198; Gillian Inksetter 400; Karen Willard and Dan Brittain 549; Phil Summerlin 112; Geraldine Sharpton 318; Susan Cherones 300; Dan Brittain and Hugh McGraw 353; Wendy Futral 36b; Jesse Karlsberg, Nathan Rees, and Charlene Wallace 176t; Bridgett Kennedy 82t; Jim Carnes 171; Aldo Ceresa 186. The lunch blessing was returned by Jesse Roberts.

LUNCH

Richard Mauldin brought the class back together by leading 446. Leaders: David Carlton 496; Cecelia Kramer 444; Warren Steel 260; Rebecca Over 56b; Richard Ivey 458; Sharon DuPriest 222; Matt Hinton 430; Judy Caudle 432; Nikos Pappas 250; Andrew Royappa 128; Lauren Bock 273; Marian Mitchell 48b; Eddie Mash and Charlene Wallace 77b; Barb VanderJagt 146; Esteban Veliz 86; Anne Missavage 454; Mark Davis 236; Peter Stenshoel 348b; Hayden Arp 149; Anne Royappa and Tim Royappa 312b; Jennifer Clay and Delone Cobbs 569b; Len VanderJagt 39t; Ann Gray 276; Virgel Campbell 76b; Beverly Dayton 277; Robert DuPree 40; Marlin Beasley 512; Nicholas Thompson 192.

Mark Davis, Gaston White, and Hubert Nall led 378t as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Marlin Beasley.

Saturday, June 14

The Saturday session of the National Sacred Harp Convention was convened by Mark Davis leading 75. The morning prayer was offered by Elder Jesse Roberts.

Leaders: Gaston White 66; Hubert Nall 566; Buell Cobb 52t; Kathy Williams 209; Cheryl Foreman 492; Jesse Roberts 40; Helen Brown 556; Sonny Erwin 503; Mary Whitehurst 42; Scott Kennedy 455; Gary Smith 99; Bea Aaron 568; Gary Padgett 442; Jim Aaron 163b; James Wagner 490; Sarah Beasley 129; Elene Stovall 500; Louise Holland 147t; Henry Johnson 231; Melanie Hauff 215.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Scott Kennedy leading 228. Leaders: Jack Nelson 524; Carolyn Thompson 53; Dorothea Maynard 304; Dana Eddins and Emily Eddins 49b; Elizabeth Royappa 274t; Micah Roberts 384; Evie Eddins 47t; Kevin Eddins and sons 317; Seth Holloway 388; Andrew Royappa and Michael Royappa 47b; Wade Kotter and Helen Brown 507; Shirley Berrey 480; Linda Thomas and Rodney Ivey 534.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Scott Kennedy and Jesse Roberts. Scott Kennedy spoke on behalf of the sick and homebound, read the list of names, and led 229. Scott Kennedy and Jesse Roberts spoke on behalf of the deceased. Scott Kennedy read the following list of names of the deceased: Carroll Lunsford, Dean McNeil, Rachel Willard Smith, Nadine Riggs Willard—California; Lou Cotney, Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Mike Nunn, Alicia Williams, Nadine Willis, Wendell Wakefield, Mary Kitchens Gardner, Josie Hyde, Tat Bailey, C.T. Williams, Bill Aplin—Alabama; Teenie Moody, Carlene Griffin—Georgia; Diane Mennella—New York; Hugh Bill McGuire—Mississippi; Sallie Foreman—Texas; Mary Motsinger—Michigan; Mary Lou Reynolds—Tennessee; Genny Whitworth—Florida; Somen Goodman—Canada; Bill Gillanders—United Kingdom. Jesse Roberts led 162 in memory of the deceased, and closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Dennis George 370; Paul Wyatt 282; Sunny Doyle 38b; Ann Royappa and Tim Royappa 77t; Eugene Forbes 280; Ila Ingle 436. The blessing for the noon meal was offered by Jesse Roberts.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called together by Helen Brown and Ted Brown leading 111b. Leaders: Cricket Campbell 385b; Nathan Rees and Susan Cherones 564; Margaret Gillanders 315; Shelby Castillo and Sharon DuPriest 216; Charlotte Ehrman 365; Scott Ivey 560; Ted Brown, Rodney Ivey, and Sonny Erwin 113; Judy Hauff 377; Cheyenne Ivey 222; Ian West 268; Lori Hinesley 496; Drew McGuire 349; Erica Martinez 325; Beverly Dayton 515; Floy Wilder 297; Don Allen 128; Beth Branscome 150; Rodney Ivey 92; Kathy Folsom 192; Robert DuPree 84; Leon Burgess 236; Becky Briggs 460; David Carlton 504.

The Convention then went into business session to hear committee reports. The Finance Committee thanked the Convention for contributions that were sufficient to cover expenses.

The Resolutions Committee gave the following report: We, individually and collectively, as the 35th annual National Sacred Harp Convention, hereby resolve: To thank God for giving us the spirit, will, and strength to gather to sing this music and glorify Him; to thank the pastor, staff, and congregation of First Christian Church for opening their doors to us and providing this magnificent place to sing in; to thank Chairman Mark Davis and all the Officers of this Convention for their tireless efforts to make this occasion a thing of seemingly effortless joy; to thank all those who prepared and brought the food which fed our physical bodies while the music fed our spiritual bodies; to offer appreciation to Sarah Beasley, Buell Cobb, and Warren Steel, who were members of the first annual National Convention and have attended every year since then; to thank Sarah Beasley for opening her home to host the social which has become a tradition within the Sacred Harp community; and, we hereby resolve to gather again next year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the third Sunday in June to renew this Convention. Respectfully Submitted—Gary Smith and James Wagner.

The Secretary reported that 490 people from 20 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom registered during the Convention. There were 149 leaders who led 265 songs. The numbers by state and country were as follows: Alabama—347; Georgia—25; California—16; Florida—14; Tennessee—12; Mississippi—11; Illinois—7; Washington—6; Louisiana—5; Michigan—4; Texas—4; Pennsylvania—2; New York—2; Iowa—2; Arkansas-1; Minnesota—1; Utah—1; Indiana—1; Oregon—1; Kentucky—1; United Kingdom—5; Canada—4.

Buell Cobb then came forward to discuss the possibility of seeking 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status under the umbrella of Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association. After discussion and questions answered, the motion was made, seconded, and carried unanimously by the Convention to seek such status. The business session was closed.

Leon Burgess and Mark Davis led 236. The officers 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—Mark Davis; Vice Chairmen—Buell Cobb, Gaston White, and Hubert Nall; Secretaries—Cheryl Foreman and Kathy Williams