Audio Recordings of the First National Convention

This page is part of the online exhibit, The First National Sacred Harp Convention.

The Sacred Harp Museum has digitized the entire set of eight cassette tapes recorded at  the first National Convention in 1980. While the sound quality reflects the limitations of the medium, we hope you will enjoy the spirited and talented singing that it captures.

The first seven cassettes feature recordings of the songs sung at the National Convention as well as brief remarks delivered during the convention proceedings. The last cassette begins with a program produced by Claude Rhea about Sacred Harp tradition and practice—it combines clips of singing with brief interviews of singers including R. E. “Uncle Bob” Denson, Dewey Williams, Marie Aldridge, and several others.

Special thanks to B. M. Smith and Eugene Forbes for providing tapes for digitizing.

Cassette 1: Thursday, June 26, 1980

Cassette 2: Thursday, June 26, 1980

Cassette 3: Friday, June 27, 1980

Cassette 4: Friday, June 27, 1980

Cassette 5: Saturday, June 28, 1980

Cassette 6: Saturday, June 28, 1980

Cassette 7:  Sunday, June 29, 1980

Cassette 8: Sunday, June 29, 1980

5 Responses to Audio Recordings of the First National Convention

  1. Eugene Forbes says:

    Very good, I have that first singing on a cassette tape.

  2. Moya Goodwin says:

    This is SO WONDERFUL! I cannot describe the spiritual renewal I have felt from listening to this. God Bless you and thank you.

    My journey today started with John Newton and “Amazing Grace”—I was looking for the words to this
    beautiful hymn because I wanted to sing it. I found information on the hymn—and in the process I discovered this music and these recordings and have been listening all afternoon—I can’t stop listening!

    Thank you once again.

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