The second Saturday in July around these parts means a day of shape note singing at the John C. Campbell Folk School, which sits near the junction of North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. It’s just down the road from here.
July in this part of Appalachia is hot and humid. We meet at the Open House, a covered pavilion with open sides, nestled under shady green oaks, tulip poplars, and other huge hardwoods. Enthusiastic folks of every age come from all over the region to make a joyful noise that sounds a lot like this. Sometimes songbirds compete with us.
It’s sound in the round, but it isn’t circular. Tenor, alto, treble, and bass voices each occupy one side of a square. I sit with the tenors because that group usually has the melody. It’s acapella, which means there is no accompaniment. We use two songbooks, Sacred Harp and Christian Harmony.
Participants take turns standing in the middle of the “hollow square” to lead their favorite songs. The leader calls out the page number and gives the starting pitches. A few years ago, one of the leaders let me stand alongside, just to listen to the magical sound blends not heard from any other vantage point. One aficionado described it as “powerful” and “overwhelming.” It gave me shivers.
Everyone enjoys a hearty potluck between the morning and afternoon sessions. It’s fun to see old-timers swapping stories and welcoming new singers. And the homemade food is just out of this world. I’m already looking forward to next July.
Here is a video of our 2019 singing, the only indoor one I’ve attended. If you look closely, you may see me way in the back, in the pink shirt.
#acapella #appalachianmusic #harmony
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