Monthly Singings for August 2017

Here are your East TN Old Harp Shape Note Singings for August 2017.  All are invited, tunebooks provided.  Website is www.oldharp.org.

Sunday, Aug. 13th 6:30 PM Epworth Old Harp Singing,  Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN. Claudia at 865-673-5822.

August 17-20, Camp Do Re Mi, Little Switzerland, NC. Singing School Camp. Filled, but accepting day campers. More info at www.doremicamp.org.

Sunday, August. 20th, 2:00 - 4 PM, Yes, 2:00, Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, Great Smoky Mtn. Nat'l Park, TN.  From Knoxville, TN, take Alcoa Hwy. past the McGhee Tyson Airport and take the left fork into Alcoa.  Stay on this road as you enter Maryville and continue on #321S to Townsend.  Continue straight through Townsend into the National Park.  At the fork of the river (the "Y"), turn right to Cades Cove.  The Cades Cove Ranger Station has the last non-primitive facilities before you return from the singing.  Take the Cades Cove Loop, and the Primitive Baptist Church is the first church on the left, you travel down a short road to get to it, last year there was a sign for the singing.  Add one hour to the travel time due to tourist traffic jams.  For more info, Robin Goddard at 865-982-6148 or Tom Taylor at 865-984-8585.

Tuesday, Aug. 15th, 5 PM  Old College Monthly Harp Singing, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 123 S. Jackson St., Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248.

Tuesday, Aug. 15th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 389-3100.

Sunday, Aug. 27th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 210 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN.  Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211.

And new in September:

Saturday, September 23rd and Sunday, 24th, 10a-3p with dinner on the grounds at noon: First Annual Wears Valley Convention, Old Harp Singers of East Tennessee. Saturday will be at Valley View Baptist, 2219 Little Cove Rd., Sevierville, TN, and Sunday at Headrick Chapel, 3739 Wears Valley Rd., Sevierville, TN. More info at www.oldharp.org.

Saturday, September 30th: Louie Bluie Festival, Cove Lake State Park, Caryville, TN. Will be in the afternoon, time to be determined. Remember, several of you agreed to do this, plus we could definitely use some more singers!

Monthly Singings for May 2017

Here are your May 2017 Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are invited, tunebooks are provided, and it's free!  Website is www.oldharp.org. 

Sunday, May 7th 2 PM, Sevier County Annual Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 389-3100.  Refreshments will be served.

Sunday, Mother's Day, May 14th, 6:30 PM.  Monthly Epworth Singing at the Laurel Theater, 16th and Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN.  Claudia at 865-673-5822.

Wilderness Wildlife Week will be Tuesday May 9th through Saturday May 13th at the LeConte Center on Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge.  We will be having and introduction to Old Harp Singing School on Tuesday evening from 5:00pm to 6:30pm in North 3A.  The hope is to inspire some to come join us in the square at some of our regular singings and at the singing to be held there on Saturday.  The Annual Singing at Wilderness will be on Saturday the 13^th from 2:00pm to 3:00pm in the LeConte Hall with the singers on stage there.

The Appalachian Cultural Day Celebration at Pigeon Forge Primary will be Friday, May 12 at the school which is located at 1766 Walden Creek Road, Sevierville Tn.  Walden Creek Road leaves Wears Valley Rd/Highway 321 where the two lane and 4 lane sections meet at the Pigeon Forge City limits.  The School is on the right less than a mile from that intersection.  We will begin around 9:00am as in the past.  I would encourage those who are coming to sing to be there as early as possible after 8:15 or so (to allow for the traffic to settle a bit) so that we will have a little time to organize.  We are usually finished by around 1:30pm and we will have a lunch break with a lunch provided by the school.  For info, David Sarten at 865-389-3100.

Tuesday, Mar. 16th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave.,  Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248. Cora Sweatt at 423-745-0248.

Tuesday, May 16th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 389-3100. 

Sunday, May 28th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Posted for Tina Becker, alto

Monthly Singings for April 2017

Here are you Old Harp Shape Note Singings coming up in April of 2017 in East TN. Loaner books are available, and the website is www.oldharp.org.

New, this Saturday, April 1st roughly 5:30-8:30, Appalachian Festival, Church of the SaviorUUC, 934 N Weisgarber Rd, Knoxville, TN 37909. Read about it at: https://www.facebook.com/events/268914540192243/ Come and eat at 5:30, or arrive at 6:30 and we will sing for 15 minutes, and then sing for another 15 minutes later in the program. We will sing inside in a community space where we can move chairs around. It's a celebration of Appalachian culture, music, and poetry. There is plenty to walk around and do.

Sat. April 8, 9:00am Quay Smathers Singing School for those who have registered. Clyde, NC.

Sunday, Apr. 9th, 2 PM, Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church Singing, Townsend, TN, contact Tom Taylor at 865-984-8585. From Knoxville, take Alcoa Hwy, (Rt. 129) past McGee Tyson Airport.  Go left at the fork.  In Maryville, stay on Rt. 321 to Townsend (20+ miles). Turn right at the billboard saying Tuckaleechee Caverns.  The church is a mile on the left.  John Wright Dunn was the moderator until his death. 

No Epworth (Knoxville) Second Sunday Singing this month, since there's an annual singing, details above, on the same day.

Sunday, April16th,  5:30PM, Easter Dinner and Singing at Gooch-Mabbs residence, in Bearden area of Knoxville, TN, bring dish to share.  Address is 4401 Alta Vista Way, Knoxville, TN.  At Western Plaza (3 miles west of UT campus) turn south off Kingston Pike onto Noelton Drive which T's into Alta Vista Way in a half mile.  Location is a wooden house with deck on corner on the right. 865-522-0515 for more info.

Tuesday, Apr. 18th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave.,  Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248.

Tuesday, Apr. 18th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 389-1300.

 Sunday, April 30th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Tentative: in May: Appalachian Cultural Day at Pigeon Forge Primary School, 1766 Walden’s Creek Rd, Sevierville, TN 37876.  It is about 0.5 miles off of Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge.

While we do not have the schedule yet we expect it to be similar to past years where we start singingaround 9:30 AM and sing for about 30 minutes for each of five classes.  We typically end by mid-afternoon with lunch provided by the school.  We will send out a reminder closer to the date with the actual schedule and more detail. David Sarten at 865-389-3100.

Monthly Singings November 2016

Here are your East TN Old Harp Shape Note Singings for November 2016. All are invited, tunebooks provided, and it's free. Website is www.oldharp.org.

Sunday, Nov. 13th, 6:30 pm, Epworth Monthly Singing at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN. We will plan the potluck for the Thanksgiving Eve singing.  Tina Becker 865-982-7777.

Tuesday, Nov. 15th, 6 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave., Athens, TN. For info: Museum, 423-745-0329, Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248.

Tuesday, Nov. 15th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN. David Sarten at 865 428-0874.

Holiday Homecoming; Great Smoky Mts. Heritage Museum, Saturday, November
19, 2:00-3:00PM.  Now an annual event. We will sing in the auditorium.  Admission to the Museum is also included.
Directions:  Follow Hyw. 321 to Townsend.  Go through the traffic light in
Townsend and follow signs towards Cades Cove.  The Museum is on the RIGHT on
top of the hill and very well marked before you enter the Park. Robin Goddard for info: 865-982-6148.

Wed. Nov. 23rd, 6:30 PM Annual Thanksgiving Supper and Harp Singing. Jubilee Community Arts and the Epworth Old Harp Singers host the annual Thanksgiving get together. Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN. A potluck supper will be followed by a community singing from the New Harp of Columbia. Shape note singing has a long history in East Tennessee and the Epworth Old Harp Singers are actively carrying on that tradition. The New Harp of Columbia was first published in 1863 in Knoxville, based on the 1848 Harp of Columbia, also published in East Tennessee; a comprehensive edition restoring all omitted songs was published in 2001 thanks to the tireless efforts of singer Larry Olszewski. This year's singing will serve as the tenth annual memorial singing in honor of Larry.
Free • Bring a dish & sing for your supper. For more info,Tina Becker, 865-982-7777. If you or a friend would like to provide table decorations to enjoy and/or sell for the event, let me know.

Sunday, Nov. 27th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 210 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211.

Tina Becker

Monthly Singings for June 2016

Here are your JUNE 2016 Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are invited, tunebooks are provided, and it's free!  Website is www.oldharp.org.

Saturday, June 4th, 10 AM- 3 PM  Greeneville/Franklin Annual Old Harp Singing, New Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Greeneville, TN  37743.  Potluck at noon.  Bring a dish to share. Directions from Knoxville: Take I-40E towards Asheville, at exit 421, take I-81 north toward Bristol.  Take exit 30, turning right onto TN-70, go 7.5 miles.  Turn right onto Cox Rd., church is on the right.  For info, contact Jeff Farr at 423-620-8267.  

Sunday, June 12th, 6:30  Epworth Monthly Old Harp Singing at Laurel Theater.

Tuesday, June 21st, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave., Athens, TN. For info: Museum, 423-745-0329, Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248.

Tuesday, June 21st, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874.

Sunday, June 26th, 12 PM Annual Beech Grove Primitive Baptist Church Dinner and Singing. Sevier County, TN.  From Pigeon Forge heading toward Gatlinburg on Rt.#441, take the first right onto Caney Creek Rd.  Look for a sign for the church.  It is two miles or so on the left.  Bring a dish to share, for more info, Sharee Green, 865-654-3557.

CANCELED Sunday, June 26th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 210 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN.  Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211.

Monthly Singings for May 2016

Here are your May 2016 Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are invited, tunebooks are provided, and it's free!  Website is www.oldharp.org. Please note a couple of changes.

Sunday, May 1st, 2 PM, Sevier County Annual Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874.  Refreshments will be served.

Sunday, Mother's Day, May 8th 6:30 PM Monthly Epworth Singing at the Laurel Theater, 16th and Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN.  Claudia at 865-673-5822.

Tuesday, Mar. 17th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave.,  Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248. Cora Sweatt at 423-745-0248.

Tuesday, May 17th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874. 

Wilderness Wildlife Week, LeConte Convention Center, 2986 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN. Singing School: Thursday May 19, 3:15-5:15 pm, South 3

Old Harp Singing: Sunday May 22, 2-3:30 pm, LeConte Hall Stage

The singing school is open to up to 30 students, so we need a good showing of regular singers to assist, especially with lead where we seem to always be thin.  Come help with the school (and singing).  Bring loaner books as well.

Other items of interest involving fellow harp singers at WWW, may be others I missed:

Judy Bryant, “900 Miles and Then Some: A Hiking Journal” 5/18, 2-3 pm, North 2

Wilson Family Singers, 5/19, 5-6 pm, LeConte Hall Stage

Robin Goddard, “The Walker Sisters of Little Greenbrier” 5/20, 10-11 am, Greenbrier Hall B

Robin Goddard, “Portrayal of Maymie Grimes Hill, Principal of Smoky Mountain Baptist Academy” 5/20,3-4 pm, Greenbrier Hall A

Veta King and Dwight McCarter, “Mountain Memories” 5/20, 5:15-6:15 pm, Greenbrier Hall B

Whaley family singers 6-7 pm on 5/20, Greenbrier Hall C

 

 Sunday, May 29, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Monthly Singings for April 2016

Here are your April Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are welcome, loaner tunebooks are provided, and it's free.  Website with schedule is www.oldharp.org.  

 
Sunday, Apr. 10th, 2 PM, Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church Singing, Townsend, TN, contact Tom Taylor at 865-984-8585. From Knoxville, take Alcoa Hwy, (Rt. 129) past McGee Tyson Airport.  Go left at the fork.  In Maryville, stay on Rt. 321 to Townsend (20+ miles). Turn right at the billboard saying Tuckaleechee Caverns.  The church is a mile on the left.  John Wright Dunn was the moderator until his death. 

No Epworth (Knoxville) Second Sunday Singing this month, since there's a singing, details above, on the same day.

Tuesday, Apr. 15th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave.,  Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248.

Tuesday, Apr. 15th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874.

  

Sunday, April 24th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Tentative: Tuesday April 26: Appalachian Cultural Day at Pigeon Forge Primary School, 1766 Walden’s Creek Rd, Sevierville, TN 37876.  It is about 0.5 miles off of Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge.

While we do not have the schedule yet we expect it to be similar to past years where we start singing around 9:30 AM and sing for about 30 minutes for each of five classes.  We typically end by mid-afternoon with lunch provided by the school.  We will send out a reminder closer to the date with the actual schedule and more detail. David Sarten at 865-428-0874.

Tentative: April 27th from 3:30-4:30  Sing at Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, TN 

This would be for a group known as The Retired Experiment Station Directors.  They are a regional (Southeast, I think.) group of retired university deans/directors.  They are having their meeting in Knoxville this year.  One of their “outings” is to tour the heritage center in Townsend and take in the history of the area. Contact Joe Sarten: jsarten@utk.edu.

Thank you,

Tina Becker, alto

Monthly Singings for March 2016

Hello All,

Here are your Mar. 2016 Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are invited, tunebooks are provided, and it's free!  Website is www.oldharp.org.

Sunday, Mar. 13th, 6:30 pm, Epworth Monthly Singing, Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN. Claudia at 865-673-5822.

Tuesday, Mar. 15th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing, McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave.,  Athens, TN  Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248. Cora Sweatt at 423-745-0248.

Tuesday, Mar. 15th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874.

Sunday, March 20th, 2 PM, Oldhams Creek Missionary Baptist Church Singing, 3629 Boogertown Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  Hal Wilson at 865-436-2590.  From Pigeon Forge on Rt. #441, head south towards Gatlinburg.  After about two miles, turn left over the river and cross the other two lanes onto Kings Branch Road to the end.  Turn right on Boogertown Rd., church is 100 yards on the left.
   

Sunday, Mar. 27th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Sunday, March 27th,  5:30PM, Easter Dinner and Singing at Gooch-Mabbs residence, in Bearden area of Knoxville, TN, bring dish to share.  Address is 4401 Alta Vista Way, Knoxville, TN.  At Western Plaza (3 miles west of UT campus) turn south off Kingston Pike onto Noelton Drive which T's into Alta Vista Way in a half mile.  Location is a wooden house with deck on corner on the right. 865-522-0515 for more info.

Coming up in April:

Saturday, April 9th, 9:30. Quay Smathers Singing School, Clyde, NC. Christian Harmony Book. Info at qssingingschool.org. but it's sold out.

And August 11-14, 2016. Camp Doremi, Little Switzerland, NC. Sign up before it's sold out, at campdoremi.com.

Happy Singing,

Tina Becker, alto and treble

Monthly Singings for February 2016

    

Here are your Feb. 2016 Old Harp Shape Note Singings for East Tennessee.  All are invited, tunebooks are provided, and it's free!  Website is www.oldharp.org.  Look for the annual newsletter in your mailbox.

Sunday, Feb. 14th, 6:30 pm, Epworth Monthly Singing , Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN, Claudia at 865-673-5822.

Tuesday, Feb. 16th, 5 PM Old College Monthly Harp Singing,  McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 West Madison Ave., Athens, TN. For info: Museum, 423-745-0329, or Cora Sweatt at 423 745-0248. 

Tuesday, Mar. 16th, 7 PM Sevier County Monthly Old Harp Singing, Middle Creek United Methodist Church, 1828 Middle Creek Rd., Pigeon Forge, TN.  David Sarten at 865 428-0874.

Sunday, Feb. 28th, 2:00-4:00 pm, Epworth Annual Jubilee Singing followed by Potluck Refreshments, Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN.  Please bring some appetizers or hot/cold drinks to share. Tina Becker at 865-982-7777, Claudia at 865-673-5822. Note the different time.

Sunday, Feb. 28th, 3 PM, Franklin Monthly Old Harp Singing, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 201 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN. Jeff Farr at 423 639-8211. 

Tina Becker, alto