Sacred Harp Publishing Company Citations

History and Criteria

On October 11, 1969, the Sacred Harp Publishing Company began a practice that continues to this day. The Board of Directors voted to present citations to “honor and express appreciation to loyal supporters and dedicated singers for outstanding work in the company and untiring support of and dedicated service to the cause of Sacred Harp music.” They established six criteria for presentation of the citations:

1. Only deceased stockholders are eligible to receive a citation.
2. The deceased stockholder must have been active in the formation of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company since 1935 and/or be a stockholder in said company.
3. To be eligible to receive a citation, the deceased person must have been a teacher, writer, or an outstanding supporter and leader of Sacred Harp music.
4. All citations presented must have been approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors.
5. The citation must be presented to the person or persons approved by the Board of Directors.
6. The citation must be presented at the honoree’s Memorial or home singing by an officer or member of the Board of Directors of said company.

—Karen Rollins

Citation Recipients

1. Thomas J. Denson
2. Seaborn M. Denson
3. Paine Denson
4. Howard Denson
5. Whitt Denson
6. J. C. McWhorter
7. Frank Rogers
8. Bob Burnham
9. J. W. Ballinger
10. James H. Defoor
11. B. E. Cunningham
12. O. H. Frederick
13. L. A. McGraw
14. Joe Myers
15. H. N. McGraw
16. O. A. Parris
17. J. J. Akers
18. O. H. Handley
19. Martin Blackmon
20. A. A. Blocker
21. A. Marcus Cagle
22. C. H. Gilliland
23. Priestley Miller
24. Annie Denson Aaron
25. Owell Denson
26. Floyd Frederick
27. George Parker
28. John T. Parker
29. J. W. Laminack
30. George Parris
31. J. L. Thomas
32. A. L. Parker
33. Ben Shipp
34. T. J. Shivers
35. E. T. Smith
36. George D. Phillips
37. Coy Putman
38. T. B. McGraw
39. G. S. Doss
40. Walter Chandler
41. [E.] Foy Frederick
42. Lloyd Wood
43. Ruth D[enson]. Edwards
44. W. M. Cantrell
45. L. P. Odem
46. Z. L. Hardin
47. J. E. Kitchens
48. M. F. McWhorter
49. T. Buford McGraw
50. Palmer Godsey
51. Millard Handley
52. Robert E. Denson
53. Ennis Wall
54. Preston Warren
55. Henry Wilson
56. Joseph Joshua Harper
57. E. G. Akin
58. D. T. White
59. Walter Parker
60. J. H. Ballinger
61. Hoyt Cagle
62. Leman Brown
63. Leonard Lacy, Jr.
64. Ezra C. Bowen
65. Carl Hughes
66. Preston Crider
67. Horace Hamrick
68. Doris DeLong
69. Henry Kerr
70. Robert Aldridge
71. Mae Seymour
72. Jerry Sheppard
73. Lessie Cates
74. H. Roy Avery
75. Marie Creel Aldridge
76. Virgil and Ruby Phillips
77. Ruth Brown
78. Felton Denney
79. William Green
80. Amanda Denson Brady
81. Lonnie Rogers
82. George Seiler
83. Jerry Enright
84. Harrison Creel
85. Jeff Sheppard
86. Shelbie Sheppard
87. William J. Reynolds
88. Carlene Griffin
89. Evelyn Harris
90. B. J. Harris
91. Raymond C. Hamrick
92. Earlis McGraw
93. Toney Smith
94. B. M. Smith
95. Oliver Kindig-Stokes

Newsletter Articles Commemorating Citation Recipients

• “Uncle Tom Denson’s Last Lesson: Observations and Impressions of a Son,” by Michael Hinton and Howard Denson, and “‘Melancholy Day’: Letters of Condolence after the Death of Thomas Jackson Denson,” both published in vol. 2, no. 3 of the Newsletter, commemorate the death, in 1935, of Thomas Jackson Denson, the first recipient of a citation from the Publishing Company.
• “Grandpa McWhorter: Singer and Civil Servant,” by Joseph M. Jones, published in vol. 5, no. 1 of the Newsletter, discusses M. F. McWhorter, 41st recipient.
• “My Dad, Mr. E. C. Bowen,” by Don Bowen, published in vol. 6, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates 1994 citation recipient Ezra C. Bowen.
• “Citizen of the Month: Lonnie Rogers,” by Karen Rollins, published in vol. 1, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates recipient Lonnie Rogers.
• “Remembering Those Who’ve Gone Before: Sacred Harp Publishing Company 2013 Citation Awards,” by Karen Rollins, published in vol. 2, no. 3 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2013 recipients Harrison Creel, Jerry Enright, Lonnie Rogers, and George Seiler.
• “Honoring Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard: 2014 Citation Awards,” by Karen Rollins and Jesse P. Karlsberg, published in vol. 3, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2014 recipients Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard.
• “Honoring William J. Reynolds, A Behind the Scenes Contributor to the 1991 Edition,” by Michael Hinton and David W. Music, published in vol. 4, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2015 recipient William J. Reynolds.
• “Remembering Carlene McGraw Griffin, a Lifelong Sacred Harp Singer,” by Jason Stanford, published in vol. 5, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2015 recipient Carlene Griffin.
• “The Embodiment of Love and Fellowship: Honoring Billy Joe and Evelyn Harris,” by Karen Rollins, published in vol. 5, no. 1 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2016 recipients Billy Jo and Evelyn Harris.
• “Raymond C. Hamrick’s Contributions to Sacred Harp Singing and Scholarship,” by Jesse P. Karlsberg, published in vol. 5, no. 2 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2016 recipient Raymond C. Hamrick.
• “In Memory of Earlis McGraw, July 27, 1935–June 8, 2016,” by Rebecca Over, published in vol. 6, no. 2 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2017 recipient Earlis McGraw.
• “Remembering Toney Smith: Singer, Leader, Teacher, Organizer, Reviser, and Encourager,” by David Ivey, published in vol. 6, no. 2 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2017 recipient Toney Smith.
• “B. M. Smith: A Loving, Caring Spirit and Front Bench Stalwart,” by Karen Rollins, published in vol. 6, no. 2 of the Newsletter, commemorates 2017 recipient B. M. Smith.