Bob Dylan, Civil War Monuments and the Sacred Harp where my Grandfather Jordan taught school

       I've been dabblin in the Sacred Harp for about 11 years now and about ready to lead a number. This weekend at Pine Grove in the church building where Grandfather Jordan (born 1881) taught school including double first cousins Bud Oliver and Eulene Reed in the early 40s was special.

    I had a good time July 4th for one day at Henegar, got a punch in the gut Friday with allergic sneezing and aching all over but the singing and the good dinner on the ground Saturday and Sunday and seeing the regular friends of once a year the last ten years was special this year. Jesus Healed me in three days.

   Surprise showing of the honorable Todd Heifner, the cisco kid. We'd been talking about it but I didn't expect him to show up. First break I was complainin to Emmy Lou Harris friend Gooch and the prankster Gooch--almost as good as Uncle Fremont but different style--said he'd never show and I turned around and there he was.

   And then the politikin and facebook photo opps commenced. Robert Chambless, Auburn grad captured about 165 of em for the closed group Friends of Sacred Harp and I'm in enough of them plus 7 todd had took that after 11 years I'm pretty much of the family I guess. Gonna attempt to bring in 30 Jordans and Foxes for a splash next year.

   Great thing about the Sacred Harp is there are enough revenants to go around and nobody is a celebrity at these events. Well Maybe Rodney Ivey in his own mind and Ricky Harcrow--just teasin boys--but David and his crew and Lloyd and Scott and Coy and Lilly are some of the finest people you'll meet anywhere, and they've been to the Oscars and back for the Cold Mtn Soundtrack. That's why Jesus didn't see to have me join till 2007 or so cause he knew if I sung with em at the Oscars I woulda been unbearable.

     Kiri Miller wrote the definitive book so start there. Here is all you need to know she mighta missed.

    One, Bob Dylan did a version of the Lone Pilgrim Sean Wilentz of Princeton explored with all its Barton Stone over reaches.

    Two There are two versions of my friend Sam Hodges gggg Grandfather Fitzpatrick dying words in Letters to Amanda after the Battle of Petersburg Va, Jesus can make a dying bed soft as downy pillows are. One is Prospect.

     The NYC Rockefeller Center Chorale or some similar august choir has done a classical version of David's Lamentation. I requested it Saturday and my friend from  Oakhurst Baptist in Atlanta who knows Amy Greene led it.

     Four Lilly and Lloyd were stars of the show if you count leading and lunchtime conversation with Larry Bird's friend Adrian Eldridge of Indiana a close second.

   Donnie reed is doing a great job carryin on the tradtion of Bud Oliver and his Great Granddaddy ST Reed's 72 lemons in the wash tub lemonade.

    Dressin was good at lunch but the pan at henegar this year was illustrious. Rodney Ivey says a church of God Woman does on his request only so I'll be there again next year the Saturday before the fourth if the Lord Tarries.

   PS, the on the fly monuments discussion never came close to sabotaging the good will of these sacred singings, but there were a couple of interesting civil exchanges, one unflinching and another informative from some Richmond friends. For me I'm pretty much with Andy Young and  Clemson's Vernon Burton, the proff not profiled on Yellowhammer News today.