May 2026 Atlanta Sacred Harp Newsletter
John Plunkett
May 2026 Atlanta Sacred Harp Newsletter
The note singers meeting will have their annual session at 2pm on the 1st Sunday of May at Zion Baptist Church, 160 Lemon Street, Marietta, GA 30060
CAMP FASOLA Registration is open!! -Camp Lee, Anniston, AL - June 29th - July 3rd - https://campfasola.org/
CAMP DOREMI Registration is open!! - August 6th-9th at Wildacres Retreat near Little Switzerland, NC. Contact Jane Cannon at campdoremi at gmail dot com for more information.
Several of you were able to attend the Sunday session of the Georgia State Convention (or the March Emory Presbyterian singing) where a crew from AIB Network (Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters) was filming for an episode of their “Sacred Sounds and Spaces” series. . I think it’s quite good:
https://aibnetwork.lightcast.com/player/51140/807986
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May 2nd, Saturday - NEW SINGING!!! - Andrews Schoolhouse/Chapel - Upson County Historical Society - near The Rock, GA. 10am - 3pm. Andrews Chapel/Schoolhouse, Upson Co. Georgia. 1800 Andrews Chapel Rd, Thomaston, GA 30286-4418. Dinner on the grounds at noon. The Historical Society will provide BBQ for lunch. Please bring side dishes, tea, lemonade, dessert, etc. Contact/info: Oscar McGuire . 478-955-6135 (text preferred) - Contact Oscar with any questions. https://www.facebook.com/share/1DCuZLSgo4/
May 2nd Saturday, 119th Etowah Christian Harmony Spring Singing, Etowah Lions Club, 447 Etowah School Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28739, 10a-3p, DOG at noon, please bring a dish to share. We will sing from William Walker’s “The Christian Harmony” Copies of the most recent reprint of Walker’s 1873 edition will be available for loan and for sale.
Contact Diane at dogsongs at gmail dot com
May 2nd Saturday - 39th annual Huntsville Sacred Harp All Day Singing – 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m(Central). Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801 Contact David Ivey, DavidIveyUSA at gmail dot com
May 3rd, 1st Sunday - The annual note-singing at Zion Baptist Church, 160 Lemon Street, Marietta, GA 30060 will begin at 2pm. (the note-singing tradition is a black singing tradition that is a capella and uses the 7 syllable/shapenote system). If you have a (Red Back) Church Hymnal - bring it. Contact Pat McGregor, mcgregor3691 at comcast dot net.
May 7th - 1st Thursday -First Thursday, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. singing from The 2025 Sacred Harp (this singing will only use the 2025 Revision for the next few months). Emory Presbyterian Church, 1886 North Decatur Rd, Atlanta GA 30307. Park behind the church, off Westminster Way. Info: Jim Williams-Neal, jimwilliamsneal at gmail dot com.
May 9th - Saturday before the 2nd Sunday - The fifth Pumpkintown Shape Note Singing will be held at the Oolenoy Community House (5301 Dacusville Hwy (SC 135) Pickens, SC on May 9, 2026, from 10am until 3pm. We will enjoy dinner on the grounds from noon until 1. We will sing from the 2025 edition of the Sacred Harp and the 2010 Edition of the Christian Harmony. Loaners will be available, and we have a few copies of the new Sacred Harp that may be purchased. We sing in a 100-year-old, two-room school house with great acoustics and (hopefully) a refreshing breeze from the nearby mountains. The building is not truly ADA compliant, however there is only one short step up to get into the building, and the small restrooms should be able to accommodate wheelchairs.
It is about 13 miles north of Easley, SC on SC Hwy 135, although those traveling from the north or west may want to access it from Scenic Hwy 11. (Check Google Maps for detailed directions.) For more information, please contact Dave Farmer at davefarmer-at-charter-dot-net. You may also call me at (864) 676-9003 (home) or (864) 605-8236 (cell). Please join us May 10th in metropolitan Pumpkintown!
May 15th. Friday - Come join us for an evening of shape note singing!
7-9 pm at the Frank Hamilton School (Gillespie cottage) in Legacy Park of Decatur GA. We will sing from the 2025 Revision of the Sacred Harp. The singing will begin with a singing school, loaner books will be available. https://maps.app.goo.gl/vuMx7KQKArGtmDfp6 Contact James Burrell for additional information - jamessburrell at gmail dot com.
May 17th , 3rd Sunday - Cane Creek Church, 3 1/2 miles east of Heflin AL on hwy 78. 9:30am (Central) with DOG at noon. Info: Glenda Collins - glendacollins0122 at yahoo dot com
Mar 18th, 3rd Monday Atlanta Singing, 7:00pm. In The Barn behind St. John the Wonderworker 543 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 (near Grant Park and the Atlanta Zoo). The Barn- off of Orleans Avenue, walk up drive way behind the church. No musical experience needed. Contact info: Anna Hinton annajhinton at icloud dot com.
May 19th - The Athens area monthly ‘Teenth Tuesday” singing has resumed! Our next meeting is May 19th, 7:00-9:00 p.m., at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1040 Gaines School Rd, Athens, GA 30605 (eastside, across from Bank of America). There will be a brief introductory lesson at 6:30 p.m. for beginners. We’ll sing from the Sacred Harp (2025) and Christian Harmony (2010). Books to borrow will be available on site. Note: Look for signs for the entry. There will be a phone number to call, if the door is locked when you arrive. Contact: Shannon Primm, sprimm at yahoo dot com, 706.353.4378.
May 30th/31st - 156th session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention. (note exception to the normal scheduling pattern for this year).
9:30am - 2:30pm. Held in Decatur, GA.
May 30th - Parish Hall at Holy Trinity Parish, Decatur, GA.
May 31st - Decatur Legacy Park, Hawkins Hall, Decatur, GA.
More details here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CJZcHBfzX/
Contact: Shawn Taylor - shawn at mapsandapps dot net or
Andy Ditzler - andy at andyditzler dot com
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Looking ahead to June:
Singing at Holly Springs - Saturday before the 1st Sunday in June. Bremen, GA.
Raymond Hamrick Birthday/Memorial Georgian Harmony Singing, Saturday before the 2nd Sunday at the Community Center in Roberta, GA
2nd Sunday - Annual ‘June singing’ at the Alpharetta City Hall.
Saturday before the 3rd Sunday, June 20th - Christian Harmony(+) singing at Blue Ridge Primitive Baptist Church in Chatsworth, GA
3rd Sunday - annual Sacred Harp singing at Hopewell Church near Roopville, GA.