Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, May 21

Gene Gilliland called the class to order. All songs were from The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition. Don Waggener gave the morning prayer. Leaders: Gene Gilliland 59, 128; Tim Reynolds 34b, 278t; Erin Fulton 278b, 64; Don Waggener 410t, 133; Tom Waggener 117, 49b; Joy Dunn 183, 535; Randy Webber “Wuhan”, 334; Kerry Lovett 127, 354b; Gene Gilliland 68b, 49t; Tim Reynolds 86, 107; Tammy Heinsohn 159, 155; Don Waggener 58, 455; Tom Waggener 290, 135; Erin Fulton 30b, 108b; Joy Dunn 515, 209; Randy Webber 102; Randy Webber and William Ralph Paris 59. Gene Gilliland gave the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Kerry Lovett brought the class back together by leading 182 and 45t. Leaders: Tammy Heinsohn 178, 479; Gene Gilliland 235, 339; Tim Reynolds 186, 300; Don Waggener 457, 196; Tom Waggener 163b, 268; Erin Fulton 61, 42; Joy Dunn 276, 312b; Randy Webber “Epitaph”, 222, 299 (by request); William Ralph Paris 89; Tammy Heinsohn 547; Gene Gilliland 53, 569b; Tim Reynolds 85, 448t; Don Waggener 47b, 47t (both by request); Tammy Heinsohn 345b; Erin Fulton 66 (by request). Gene Gilliland dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 22

Gene Gilliland brought the class to order by leading 103. He made introductory remarks concerning the history of The Big Singing, and welcomed singers back after a two-year absence. All songs were from The Southern Harmony.

Leaders: Gene Gilliland 181t (SoH); Don Waggener 8t (SoH) (in memory of Van Buren Lincoln Miller of Paducah), 123 (SoH); Tom Waggener 38 (SoH) (in memory of Glenn C. Wilcox), 39t (SoH); Kerry Lovett 89b (SoH), 144 (SoH); David Killingsworth 165t (SoH), 51 (SoH); William Ralph Paris 288t (SoH) (in memory of Raymond Lay Nichols); Rafael Finkel 71 (SoH), 299 (SoH); David Carlton 256 (SoH), 16 (SoH); Tim Gregg 10b (SoH), 59 (SoH); Matt Meacham 11 (SoH), 312t (SoH); Trent Hollinger 90 (SoH) (by request of Joy R. Dunn), 107 (SoH) (by request of Amy Hollinger); Erin Fulton 325 (SoH), 296 (SoH); Gene Gilliland 252 (SoH), 305 (SoH); David Killingsworth 302 (SoH); Kerry Lovett 159b (SoH); Tim Gregg 306 (SoH); David Carlton 265 (SoH); Matt Meacham 83 (SoH). R. Kevin Byars offered a blessing on the meal.

LUNCH

Gene Gilliland called the class back to order by leading 103 (SoH), and welcoming those who had joined the singing after church. Leaders: Gene Gilliland 332 (SoH); Don Waggener 31t (SoH); Don Waggener and Erin Fulton 322 (SoH).

The memorial lesson was given by William Ralph Paris, who spoke regarding singers who had died during the past year. The deceased, all from Kentucky, included Kerry Lay Nichols of Symsonia, Mildred Nichols of Benton, and Carl Turner of Paducah. He led 259 (SoH) in their memory.

Leaders: Tom Waggener, David Killingsworth, and Erin Fulton 166 (SoH), 213 (SoH); Trent Hollinger 275 (SoH), 189 (SoH); Rafael Finkel 77 (SoH), 50 (SoH); Erin Fulton 277 (SoH), 154t (SoH); Tim Gregg 154b (SoH), 318 (SoH); Matt Meacham 276t (SoH), 299 (SoH) (by request of John Meacham); Kerry Lovett 133 (SoH), 89b (SoH); Tom Waggener, David Killingsworth, and Erin Fulton 276b (SoH); Don Waggener 11 (SoH) (by request of Trent Hollinger), 123 (SoH) (by request of Lesa Lovett), 20 (SoH) (in honor of Bill Tew, who was unable to attend the singing due to an injury); David Carlton 155 (SoH); William Ralph Paris 307 (SoH), 165t (SoH); Leigh Murray 48t (SoH); David Killingsworth 46 (SoH); Erin Fulton 95 (SoH).

Sixty songs were led today by thirteen leaders out of forty-seven singers from nine states: California, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Gene Gilliland led 334 (SoH), the traditional parting song. Gary Clark dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman—Gene Gilliland; Secretaries—Tim Reynolds (Saturday), Erin Fulton (Sunday)