Typical of the country singers of early American spiritual folk-songs is this group of their leaders in Winston County, Alabama. For over fifty years their Fourth of July singings have gone on uninterruptedly at Helicon, where this picture was taken in 1927.
The “big singings” take place at county seats and in even larger centers. Here the country folk join in song with those who, though they live in the cities, have grown up in the same rural musical tradition. The Alabama State Sacred Harp Singing Association was pictured in its 1929 summer session in the court house in Birmingham, Alabama.
Spiritual Folk-Songs
of Early America
Two Hundred and Fifty Tunes and Texts
With an Introduction and Notes
Collected and Edited
by
GEORGE PULLEN JACKSON
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
NEW YORK
Published in Canada by General Publishing Company, Ltd., 30 Lesmill Road, Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario.
Published in the United Kingdom by Constable and Company, Ltd., 10 Orange Street, London W. C. 2.