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The village of Taylor, known for its combination of the traditional life with modern and original arts, hosted its twenty-fourth annual all-day Sacred Harp singing on Sunday, October 9 at the United Methodist Church. Taylor United Methodist Church, with its resonant wooden floor and beaded wood walls, is an ideal location to hear this thrilling harmony, which is not accompanied by harps or any other instruments.
A Sacred Harp singing is a non-denominational community musical event. Named for The Sacred Harp, a songbook first printed in 1844, Sacred Harp singings are often associated with church homecomings and memorials. In Lafayette County, Sacred Harp singing dates to the 1870s, when several area churches instituted annual singings that were among the best-attended events in their communities. In many places, traditional singings have been replaced by gospel quartet concerts, but Sacred Harp singings still preserve the music, style and customs of the days before the War Between the States, in which everyone sings and everyone is invited to lead his or her favorite selections. The songbook includes pieces by the first American composers along with many southern folk hymns and camp-meeting songs. Sacred Harp singing is featured in the documentary film Awake, My Soul, as well as in the Miramax film Cold Mountain.
Today Sacred Harp singing is experiencing a massive revival: singings and conventions have sprung up all across the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Larger singings attract hundreds of singers and listeners, who learn about the music from the Internet or by word of mouth: Warren Steel maintains a Sacred Harp home page at Ole Miss. This singing was formerly held at Pilgrim's Rest Primitive Baptist Church.
The twenty-fourth annual Sacred Harp singing at Taylor United Methodist Church (formerly held at Pilgrim's Rest Primitive Baptist Church) was called to order by Warren Steel leading song on page 48t and 85. John Van Horn led the morning prayer. Leaders: John Van Horn 523, 28t; Anne Steel 171, 39t; Brenda Chafin 29t, 81t; Cliff Hall 47b, 277; Chuck Howell 155, 49b; George Easley 34b, 438; Arlon Gardner 67, 201; John Wall 66, 542, Warren Steel 280.
Warren Steel called the class together leading song on page 179 and 335 (in memory of Bernice Embry and Benny Walls). Other leaders: Price Walden 128, 129; Vicki Neyman 117; Bobby Neyman 479, 163b; Will Ingraham 197, 196; Kathleen Brown 282, 285b; Devon Newburn 285t; Clay Terry 200, 198; Jack Barbera 268, 269; Matt Bell 276, 230; Andy Paney 112, 113; John Van Horn 236.
Matt Bell brought the class together leading song on page 384. Leaders: John Van Horn 86 for Hugh Bill McGuire; Julie Heeren 354b, 454; Anne Steel 348b; Brenda Chafin 97; Cliff Hall 159; George Easley 313t; Arlon Gardner 313b; John Wall 312b; Price Walden 45t; Vicki Neyman 94; Tracy Neyman 59; Bobby Neyman 142; Kathleen Brown 457; Clay Terry 224. Following announcements Warren Steel led the closing song on page 345b, and the class was dismissed with prayer by Matt Bell.
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