I’m excited to announce the publication of the second issue of The Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter.
This issue features Chloe Webb’s fascinating account of the life of Lorraine Miles McFarland, the girl depicted on the cover of Awake, My Soul as well as a preview of the forthcoming shape note songbook the Shenandoah Harmony. A special section of this issue is a selection of reports on each of the five all-day singings and conventions held on the fifth Sunday this past April (and the Saturday before). It is a testament to the vitality of Sacred Harp singing that all the singings held that weekend were a success. These singing reports also display the wonderful variety in our singings: those described ranged in attendance from over 200 to less than 15, and featured a variety of locations, songbooks, dinner on the grounds dishes, and traditions.
Please continue to write us and leave comments with your feedback. We welcome your news, questions, corrections, and ideas for future articles. And keep an eye out for our third issue!
Vol. 1, No. 2 Contents:
- “Sacred Harp’s ‘Yodeling Schoolgirl’: The Story of ‘Little Lorraine’,” by Chloe Webb (Fort Worth, Texas)
- “The Southwest Texas Convention,” by Matt Hinton (Atlanta, Georgia)
- “The 27th Midwest Convention,” by Ted Mercer (Chicago, Illinois)
- “Fish Fry and Fasola: The Harrods Creek/Bob Meek Memorial Convention,” by Michele Cull (Louisville, Kentucky)
- “Fifth Sunday Singing in Old Chicora, Florida,” by Mary Ellen Schrock (Sarasota, Florida)
- “Small in Number Yet Full of Spirit: The Mt. Pisgah Singing in Sylvester, Georgia,” by Trent Peachey (Albany, Georgia)
- “A Preview of The Shenandoah Harmony,” by Rachel Wells Hall (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- “‘Lost Singers’: Help Needed,” by Michael Hinton (San Antonio, Texas)
- Coming soon: “National Newsletter: Vol. 1, Nos. 4, 5, and 6,” digitized copies of issues of the National Sacred Harp Newsletter (September–November, 1985)
