Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 42nd annual Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing, hosted by the Appalachian Association of Sacred Harp Singers, was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Ron Pen, convener for the morning session. Ron Pen made a few announcements about the singing, its history, the schedule and facilities, and thanked members of the organizing committee who worked behind the scenes in preparation for the singing. The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition and Southern Harmony were used throughout the day. Ron offered the morning prayer, after which he led 73b.

Leaders: Rafi Finkel 159b (SoH); Tim Gregg 68b; Don Waggener 39t (SoH); Jubal Bayer 145 (SoH); Mike Grimes 146; Derek Buckland 144; Ray Rechenberg 148; Randy Webber 38 (SoH); Alana Boltz 135 (SoH); Donna Kwon 178; Joy Dunn 84; Tom Morton 209; Mary Brinkman 313b; Amy Pemberton 117.

RECESS

Judy Taylor and Fr. Jonah Campbell called the class back together by leading 186. Leaders: Delainey Bowers 448t; Inga Buckland 354t; Michelle Raine, Michelle’s mother, and Ron Pen 147t; Steven Pham 164; Susan Liddle 86; Mike Grimes and JoAnn Grimes 236.

RECESS

Randy Webber read the names on the sick and shut-ins list: Robert Pemberton and Ed Walton. Amy Pemberton, daughter of Robert, shared that he had to be moved to a nursing home last summer. His Parkinson’s disease and dementia had progressed to a point that her mother could no longer care for him safely in their home. Amy requested thoughts and prayers for both her parents. Ed Walton, a friend of Ray Rechenberg, had been in a car wreck and had probably had a stroke. Ed’s son moved him to Cincinnati to live with him but later decided to move Ed to assisted living. Ed is lonely but getting regular visits. He is involved in Southern Gospel as well as Shape Note singing.

Randy led the memorial lesson. Ray Rechenberg made remarks about Eva Striebeck, who died in 2023. Eva was from Germany but sang all over the place, often traveling long distances to sometimes stay only for a weekend singing. Eva had her own business and lived an intentionally simple life to be able to travel and sing. Ray led 285t for her. Randy made remarks about P. Dan Brittain from Arkansas, who died in November, 2023 of a brain bleed. Dan composed a number of songs in The Sacred Harp. Dan and Randy would regularly meet at singings, sharing new compositions. Randy led 481, another of Dan’s compositions. Randy noted that Dan heard it sung very slowly at a convention and commented that he “didn’t write it that way but he liked it”. Derek Buckland memorialized several people but chose not to lead a song for them: Walter Graf from Minnesota who died in 2023; Melanie Hauff from Illinois who died in 2023; Dorothy Landskroener from Ohio who died in 2023; Richard Maudlin, from Alabama, who died in 2023; Dan Burk from California, who died in 2024 and Jeff Beckley from California who died in 2024. He also remarked Melanie Hauff was the sister of Judy Hauff, who has several compositions in The Sacred Harp. Melanie started coming to singings when she was older. Randy led 547, a composition of Judy’s, for her.

Dr. John Ramsay, a Missourian and former Berean, was signed on a separate memorial list by Laura Earles due to her schedule getting to the singing. Dr. Ramsay died in 2024 but was not publicly memorialized during the lesson. That ended the memorial lesson. Rafi Finkel chanted the lunch blessing in Hebrew then translated it into English.

LUNCH

Rafi Finkel began the afternoon session by leading “Lansdowne” a Sephardic Melody that he had arranged in 1994. Leaders: Rafi Finkel 455; Jubal Bayer 142; Tim Gregory 59 (SoH); Don Waggener, Elizabeth Campbell, Alexis Campbell, Finn Duncan, Dasha Simpkins, and Laura Lee Earles 16 (SoH); Alana Boltz 277; Donna Kwon 410t; Derek Buckland 267; Mike Grimes 496; Randy Webber “Nall” scored by Randy in 2015 text by Issac Watts; Ray Rechenberg 276; Joy Dunn 543; Tom Morton 49b; Amy Pemberton 335; Charles Coulston 344.

RECESS

Rafi Finkel announced the Big Singing in Benton coming up in a week, the Harrods Creek Singing in Louisville in September, and some Ohio and Louisville singings were also announced. Leaders: Judy Taylor 532; Pearl Marshall 454; Delainey Bowers 284; Inga Buckland 400; Steven Pham 49t; Susan Liddle 40; JoAnn Grimes 63; Laura Lee Earles 278t; Kelly Toon 504; Steven Krueger 538; Fr. Jonah Campbell 47b; Rafi Finkle 269; Charles Coulston 497; Derek Buckland 122; Rafi Finkel 155; Mike Grimes 268.

Ron Pen led 267 as the closing song, and most singers shared the parting hand. Tim Gregg offered a beautiful parting prayer.

Chairman and Treasurer—Charles Coulston; Secretary—Mary Brinkman