Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, May 25

Gary Clark offered an opening prayer at 10:00 a.m., following which Gene Gilliland called the class to order by leading 59. All selections on Saturday were from The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition. Leaders: Erin Fulton 205, 39t; David Carlton 48t, 63; Alice Bean 34b, 551; Garrett Herndon 143, 270; William Ralph Paris 96, 135; Kerry Lovett 354b, 127; David Carlton 134, 421; Garrett Herndon 49b, 58; Gene Gilliland 49t, 64; Alice Bean 323b, 334; Erin Fulton 24b, 48b; William Ralph Paris 47t, 159; Garrett Herndon 155, 120; Kerry Lovett 45t; Gene Gilliland 128, 209; David Carlton 145b. Gene Gilliland offered a prayer before dinner.

LUNCH

Gene Gilliland called the class back to order by leading 145t. Leaders: Gene Gilliland 268; Erin Fulton 317, 74b; William Ralph Paris 66, 36b; Garrett Herndon 35, 30b; David Carlton 176b, 177; Erin Fulton 37b, 313b; Gene Gilliland 53, 236; William Ralph Paris 31t, 73b; David Carlton 496; Garrett Herndon 475. David Carlton dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 26

Access to the courthouse being delayed due to the weather and road conditions, Gene Gilliland called the practice session to order somewhat late by leading 103 (SoH). All selections on Sunday were from The Southern Harmony. The moderator introduced our special guest, Bob Sparanese, a great-grandson of Big Singing founder James R. Lemon, who had traveled with his wife from Florida to attend the singing. Leaders: Gene Gilliland 302 (SoH); Erin Fulton 165t (SoH), 49 (SoH); Kerry Lovett 8t (SoH), 89b (SoH); David Killingsworth 123 (SoH), 305 (SoH); Tim Gregg 2 (SoH), 59 (SoH); David Carlton 256 (SoH), 16 (SoH); Raphael Finkel 38 (SoH), 56 (SoH); Trent Hollinger 11 (SoH), 51 (SoH) (by request of Amy Hollinger); Garrett Herndon 10b (SoH), 181b (SoH).

A tornado warning interrupted the singing just as Matt Meacham was called upon to lead. The class decamped to the basement of the courthouse, where they resumed singing. Leaders during the basement session: Matt Meacham 83 (SoH), 312t (SoH); William Ralph Paris 64 (SoH), 259 (SoH); Erin Fulton 332 (SoH). The Emergency Management Department advised that the singers dismiss to their dinner at the Woodman of the World building, a designated storm shelter, earlier than wonted. There, the singers whiled away the worst of the storm by listening to Bob Sparanese recount brothers James R. and George Lemons’s roles in maintaining Southern Harmony singing in western Kentucky, and admiring a program (recently uncovered by Kevin Byars’s mother) for the 1949 Southern Harmony youth supper hosted by Benton’s Church Grove Methodist Church. Gene Gilliland offered a blessing before the meal.

LUNCH

Having been given the all-clear, the singers returned to the courthouse. Gene Gilliland called the afternoon session to order by leading 213 (SoH) and 324t (SoH). William Ralph Paris spoke in memory of Southern Harmony singers and family members deceased during the past year, with particular reference to his wife, the late Nancy King Paris of Fredonia, Kentucky, in whose memory this session of the singing was held. Also mentioned fondly were Curtis Cook—Indiana; Sue Lovett—Kentucky; Travis Stein—Missouri; and Bill Tew—Virginia. William Ralph Paris led 288t (SoH) in memory of Nancy King Paris and these other friends.

Leaders: Kerry Lovett 144 (SoH), 123 (SoH) (by request of Lesa Lovett); Tim Gregg 4t (SoH), 270 (SoH); David Killingsworth 46 (SoH), 109 (SoH); Trent Hollinger 39t (SoH), 57 (SoH); Garrett Herndon 89t (SoH), 294 (SoH); Raphael Finkel 299 (SoH), 159b (SoH); Matt Meacham 252 (SoH) (in memory of Travis Stein), 166 (SoH) (in honor of John Meacham); David Carlton 310 (SoH), 265 (SoH); Erin Fulton 80 (SoH) (in honor of Don, Pat, and Tom Waggener), 72t (SoH); Gene Gilliland 94t (SoH), 189 (SoH); Raphael Finkel 200b (SoH); David Killingsworth 308 (SoH); Trent Hollinger 107 (SoH), 322 (SoH); Erin Fulton 301 (SoH), 6b (SoH); David Carlton 276t (SoH); Gene Gilliland 277 (SoH). Kevin Byars requested that we sing 133 (SoH) before the singing close.

Gene Gilliland led 334 (SoH) as the closing song. Garrett Herndon offered the parting prayer and dismissed the singers to their various homes in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Tennessee.

Chairman—Gene Gilliland; Secretary—Erin Fulton