In Memory of Mike Hinton

[Robert Vaughn]

I’ve paused, I’ve waited, for some more appropriate person to write this, to not rush ahead of someone better suited for this task. But like Elihu of old, “the spirit within me constraineth me.”

Samuel Michael “Mike” Hinton was born May 8, 1943, to Grover L. Hinton and Violet Denson. He was a grandson of Sacred Harp singer, teacher, and composer Thomas Jackson Denson. He passed from the walks of this life at age 82, on Friday, July 18, 2025.

Mike had a long-term military career (MSC in the Army), and became very active in the Sacred Harp Community after his retirement. Mike traveled widely and became a great and much-loved ambassador of good will in the Sacred Harp Community. I believe that the addition of the words “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound” to No. 146 in the 2012 Cooper Edition of The Sacred Harp rose as a good-will response to some of that good will displayed by Mike.

Among other things, he served as Chair of the Texas State Convention (1996, 2015), the Southwest Texas Convention (2008), and Coker Singing Convention (2008-2011). Around 2012 the Coker Singing held at Mike’s church was “consolidated” into the Texas State Convention, which singing’s location was moved to the Coker Church in San Antonio, Texas. Mike was treasurer of the Texas State Convention at least for 2020-2024 (and possibly longer). In 2002 Mike Hinton was elected President of the Board of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company, and served until his passing in July 2025. In 2018, during Mike’s tenure as president, the Sacred Harp Publishing Company Board of Directors unanimously approved to proceed with a revision of their 1991 Edition of The Sacred Harp.

I admired (even envied) Mike’s ability to prepare and present a moving memorial lesson. We asked him a number of times to conduct the memorial lesson at the East Texas Convention. Now he becomes a subject in rather than a presenter of our lessons. Surely some lessons will include that song he so loved:

And let this feeble body fail,

And let it faint and die;

My soul shall quit this mournful vale,

And soar to worlds on high.

Give joy or grief, give ease or pain,

Take life or friends away,

But let me find them all again,

In that eternal day.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

And I’ll sing hallelujah,

And you’ll sing hallelujah,

And we’ll all sing hallelujah,

When we arrive at home.

Friend, you have arrived at home. We’ll keep singing “Hallelujah” down here, knowing you are singing “Hallelujah” up there – where you may now say with experience rather than hope, “My Father’s house on high, Is my eternal home.”

If I have made any errors in this sketch, please lovingly correct them. Please remember Mike’s family in your prayers, and remember him when you sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROHeNkg2VgE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9WOf1qUSo4

Sing On,

Robert Vaughn 

Mount Enterprise, TX

http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com 

Ask for the old paths, where is the good way

http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com 

For ask now of the days that are past...

http://oldredland.blogspot.com 

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

[patricia temple]

Thank you

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[Wade Kotter]

Thanks for sharing this tribute, Robert. Mike was a kind, tender-hearted soul who I feel honored to be able to call a friend. It was always a pleasure to see and sing with him. I'll never forget the tears in his eyes when, after I led JASPER at the Hopewell Homecoming several years ago, he came up to me and said "You know, my grandfather wrote that song. Thanks so much for leading it." I think of that experience every time I lead JASPER or another of T. J. Denson's songs. I look forward to the time when I'm privileged to join the heavenly hollow square so that I'll be able to sing JASPER again with him again, and I have no doubt his grandfather will be there as well. 

Dr. Wade Kotter

Retired Librarian

Independent Hymnologist and Unrestrained Loud Treble

South Ogden, UT

"Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord" 

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[Robert Vaughn]

Mike Hinton’s obituary is now available at Legacy.com:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sanantonio/name/samuel-hinton-obituary?id=59106043

Blessings,

Robert Vaughn 

Mount Enterprise, TX

http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com 

Ask for the old paths, where is the good way

http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com 

For ask now of the days that are past...

http://oldredland.blogspot.com 

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.