Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 30

The Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Spring Session, was held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, McMahan, Texas, on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in March. Kristie Powell called the class to order by leading 68b. Tom Owen offered the opening prayer.

All song selections are from The B.F. White Sacred Harp, Cooper Edition. Leaders: Kristie Powell 68t; Sonny Huckaby 558; Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates 464 (for Sonny Erwin); Gary Rogan 467; Janie Short 511t; Jackson Owen 155; Tammie Powell 171; Hoss Curran 388; Diane Ross 132; Abigail Huckaby 99; Troxel Ballou 268t; Findley Ross 282; Robert Vaughn 119; Lauren Owen 47b; Mike Hinton 270; Ainsley Ross 145t; Ellee Curran 367; Vickie Cook 335; Abigail Curran 348t; Fred Todt 29t; Priscilla Wiggins 31t; Silas Huckaby 522; Owen Ross 434; Reed Coates 384.

RECESS

Kristie Powell brought the class together leading 553. Leaders: Leon Ballinger 297; Scott Ivey 186; Carol Huang 183; Clark Lee 74t; Linda Selph 140; Jon Giles 174; Stephanie Fida 512; Kris Wiggins 235 (for Olivia Powell); Kate Fine 505; Ted Mercer 378b; Stina Soderling 35; Ben Copenhaver and Stephanie Copenhaver 303; Bridget Jamison 42; Scott McCown 122.

In a business session, Sonny Huckaby will become chairman after lunch. Tom Owen was elected as Vice Chairman. Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates were re-elected as secretaries/arranging committee.

Leaders: Rebecca Blumenthal 300; John Hughes 416t; Stefani Priskos 133; Greg Freed 563; Julie Lee 82; Chris Brown 514; Donald Ross 277; Alice Beattie 393; Ryan Ross 53; William Price 559. The blessing for the food was offered by Elder Jeb Owen.

LUNCH

Sonny Huckaby began the afternoon session by leading 96. Leaders: Chris Nicholson 212; Laura Densmore 336t; Tristan Gordon 74b; Nancy Price 572; David Brodeur 329; Marilyn Solomon 573; Joel Bassett 449; Cliff Adams’ kids, Melissa Adams Torres and Rachel Adams Templin 461b; Elizabeth Stoddard 497; Michael Walker 39; Helen Brown 515; John Seaton 30t; Allison Steel 58; Dave Barber 38t; Judy Whiting 43; Thom Fahrbach 450; Emily Brown 404; Ben Fink 486; Addison Bowles 159; Karen Rollins 345t; Ted Brown 378t; Rebecca Over 587; Tollie Lee 541.

RECESS

Tom Owen led 60 to begin the next session. Leaders: Riley Owen 442t; Leigh Cooper 210; Andy Ditzler 216; Karen Willard 137; Robert Stoddard 552; Kathy Williams 91; Rick Foreman 389b; Brenda Dunlap 520; Cornelia Stanton 571; Lisa Matt 463; Cheryl Foreman 66; Ted Brown and Helen Brown 54t. Sonny Huckaby led 395b as the closing song. The day was closed with prayer offered by Elder Clark Lee.

Sunday, March 31

The Sunday session of the Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Convention, Spring Session, was called to order Sonny Huckaby leading 336t. The opening prayer was offered by Donald Ross.

Leaders: Sonny Huckaby 168; Tom Owen 319; Scott Curran 98; Lauren Owen 463; Carter Cook 142; Jeb Owen 422b; Jackson Owen 514; Gaylon Powell 244; Abigail Huckaby, Addison Bowles, and Lauren Owen 159; Zach Rogan 400; Silas Huckaby 470; Riley Owen 215; Diane Heywood 422t; Findley Ross 40; Robert Stoddard 309; Ainsley Ross 146; Carol Huang 269; Ellee Curran and Abigail Curran 367; Clark Lee 381t; Allison Steel 162; Ted Mercer 357.

RECESS

Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates brought the class back together leading 330t. Leaders: Hoss Curran 388; Ryan Ross 217; Linda Selph 577; John Hughes 298; Stephanie Fida 268b; Greg Freed 161; Owen Ross and Xochitl Ross 484 (honoring Xochitl, who became an American citizen in February of this year).

The memorial lesson was held at this time. Tom Owen made remarks about the sick, who we hope are just temporarily absent from singings, and those who are shut-in, who most likely will not be able to attend more singings in the future. He read the following list of names submitted: Kevin Powell, Olivia Powell, Myrl Jones, Curtis Owen, Pam Williams, Sonny Erwin, Charlene Wallace, Norma Mincey, Judy Mincey, Ottis Sides, Elene Stovall, Bea Aaron, Carolyn Thompson, Syble Adams, Nell Whitman, Tom Berkemeier, Dan Fahrbach, Gillie Campbell, Don Walker, Charlotte Walker, Chris Holley, Corrone Bryant, Ruth Ann Bryant, Peter Golden, Adrian Eldridge, Marilyn Murata, Joan Trout, and Cath Tyler. Tom led 283.

Kris Wiggins read the following list of names of the deceased and led 338 in their memory: Azalee Barnett, Allen Riley, Randall Notgrass, and Doug Webb—Texas; Paul Wilson—Minnesota; Rodney Willard and Barbara Willard—Arizona; Concetta Branson—Oregon; Andy Worthington—Arkansas; Eugene Forbes, Mike Jones, and Glenda Hopper—Alabama; Mary Ellen Schrock, Michael Kaye, and Marni Hoyt—New York; Ramona Mason—Oklahoma; Bill Steel, Pete Civico, and Carolyn Williams-United Kingdom. Elder Jeb Owen made remarks about death’s release from earthly sorrows, led 343, and closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Judy Whiting 95t; Thom Fahrbach 591; Jon Giles 465; Sarah Huckaby 112; Catherine Rogan 120; Rebecca Over 586; Chris Brown 138b; Stina Soderling 436t; Linda Booker 336b; Ben Fink 575; Karen Willard 471; Donald Ross 373. The blessing for the noon meal was offered by Rev. Owen Ross.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Sonny Huckaby leading 49t. Leaders: Chris Nicholson 264t; Michael Walker 213; Kathy Williams 151; Tristan Gordan 51; Brenda Dunlap 527; John Seaton 135; Kate Fine 580; Dave Barber 411; Elizabeth Stoddard 423; Rick Foreman 156; Addison Bowles 145b; Rebecca Blumenthal 331b; Andy Ditzler 189; Claire Steinman 273; Ben Copenhaver 97; Liz Owen 408; William Price 276; Stefani Priskos 129; Joel Bassett 383; Vivian Rogan 508; Ron Bernucho 559; Alice Beattie 543; David Brodeur 44; Michele Curran 416b; Mike Hinton 144; Laura Densmore 482; Tollie Lee 187; Bridget Jamison 106; Marilyn Solomon 497; Cheryl Foreman 101b; Diane Ross 299; Ellen Ray 430; Janie Short 392; Nancy Price 47t; Priscilla Wiggins 365; Vickie Cook 148; Greg Bowles 49b. The great grandchildren of Curtis Owen—Silas Huckaby, Abigail Huckaby, Findley Ross, Ainsley Ross, Riley Owen, Jackson Owen, Lauren Owen, and Addison Bowles led 45t for him. Announcements were made. The Secretaries reported that there were sixteen states represented, seven visitors from the UK and one from Ireland.

The officers led number 6, “Blissful Hope” from the Good Old Songs as the congregation took the parting hand. The dismissal prayer was offered by Gaylon Powell.

Chairman—Sonny Huckaby; Vice Chairman—Tom Owen; Secretaries/Arranging Committee—Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates