Ordering The Sacred Harp
Buy yourself a copy of The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition songbook:
the best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use.
Also available from the Sacred Harp Publishing Company
Like Cords Around My Heart Audiobook
By Buell Cobb. Cobb’s acclaimed Sacred Harp memoir brings to life singers and singings of decades past with poignancy and wit. Audiobook features 6 CDs with a digital download and a booklet with preface, author notes, and photos. More info »
Original Sacred Harp: Centennial Edition
Edited by Joseph Stephen James. Centennial Edition edited by Jesse P. Karlsberg. Commemorative reprint of a much-loved 1911 historical edition of The Sacred Harp, with a new introduction on the book’s legacy and context. More info »
The Makers of the Sacred Harp
By Warren Steel with Richard Hulan. The long-awaited companion to The Sacred Harp, tracing the sources of every tune and text in our songbook, from the work of B. F. White and E. J. King to the contributions by various composers to the 1991 edition. More info »
The Legacy of the
Sacred Harp
By Chloe Webb. Curiosity about Webb’s grandmother’s tattered 1869 edition of The Sacred Harp songbook, sparked a quest to reconnect with Dumas family ancestors who composed, sang, and lived by the words of The Sacred Harp. More info »
Revision of The Sacred Harp Approved
Read a January 2023 status report on the revision of The Sacred Harp.
The Board of Directors of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company has approved a revision of The Sacred Harp. The book has been revised every generation since its first publication in 1844 and has always included the music of living composers.
You are welcome to submit your own tunes or new or old music written by others for consideration. Music should be in the styles of The Sacred Harp.
The committee also welcomes your input on any other aspect of the revision of the songbook.
You can submit songs or other input by email to: revision@sacredharp.com or by mail to Revision-Music Committee, P.O. Box 4243, Huntsville, AL 35815.
David Ivey has agreed to serve as the chair of the Revision-Music Committee, which also includes Lauren Bock, Helen Brown, Richard Ivey, Jesse P. Karlsberg, Nathan Rees, Karen Rollins, Terry Wootten, and David Wright. The board is grateful to these singers for agreeing to take on this service and looks forward to sharing information with the community throughout the revision process.
Previous status reports on the revision:
Online Exhibition: The United Sacred Harp Musical Association
Since its first session in Atlanta in 1905, the United Sacred Harp Musical Association, commonly known as the United Convention, has affected the form of The Sacred Harp and public consciousness of our traditions. The story of the United Convention—told here through recordings, photos, and more—offers a fascinating perspective on the history of Sacred Harp singing in the twentieth century and beyond.