PATRON – The small town of Arley, Alabama has a long and strong tradition with Sacred Harp Music
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Love this music, was raised listening to it
I have tried to sing along but if you don’t know the notes, it’s impossible!! They sing the notes and then sing the words. I love it!!!
Sharon Hill this contains an interesting very old recording of some Sacred Heart singers of rural west Alabama.
I have old stock cents from sacred harp publishing that belonged to my grandparents. Also have a really old songbook. It’s hard to tell the date, it’s very faded. Best guess is that it was published in 1867.
My mother’s family was really into sacred harp back in the day.
My grandfather use to sing it and I loved hearing him sing
Susan Allred
As a child, my sister and I were taken to one of these singings by my Aunt Ruby and my Grandmother Sims. We tried to sing along but could not keep up and we got tickled (MISTAKE!)…will never forget the look of “scorn” my aunt gave us. So we just listened and pretty soon we got the hang of it!
My grandad could sing it some, I love that memory.
Susan Cherones, i thought of you when I saw this title 🙂 I didn’t read it, but you might want to
Look forward to watching it, I know some singers from Arly!
My great grandfather was a harp singer.
The Denson family in the recording is my family. We still carry on the tradition. http://youtu.be/1d18T0Tk9J8
Dick Nail, Leah Nail Commer, and Pamela Nail Rosser are 5th and 6th generation Alabama Sacred Harp singers. http://youtu.be/FUrTOzYYVDk
very cool 🙂
I have lived in Arley 12 yrs. and haven t seen an advertisement in Arley for a singing as yet. hopeful one day soon.
This is all very interesting! My family has been in Arley for 5 generations. Some of this information is new to me. I would love to know who owned the Arley Canning Company. Arley is the best place in the world to live! Very good article! Thanks for posting it!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps some reading can give us more information on the Canning plant.
Do you mind telling me where you got your information for this article? I am doing some research for a school project. Thank you!
Kay Johnson thought you might want to read this!
As a teenaager I was taken to these singings and taught to sing by my Uncle O.A. Parris and Aunt Mae..Still love this music..Have the “Original Sacred Harp: Denson Revision 1966 edition song book published by Sacred Harp Publishing Company Cullman, Alabama First edition was 1844
Both my grandparents on the Dean side of my Mother’s family were buried and this type of music was sung, very spiritual and sad.
Free state of Winston?
Nancy Wackerle Camp you might like this.
Chris Harris Dena Manies Harris
I remember going with my Grandma to Liberty when I was real young. I wish I could remember more about it.
Annette Hammock Newton, Verenice Hawkins
They have it at Chestnut Grove at Ider in October.
I would love to hear some. Hated when I was a kid but I appreciate the talent now.
Annette Hammock Newton , wish I had a video of Paw and Pete singing it.
Me too. I can see see them in my mind. Still miss them.
Nella Faye Mitchell-Fincher
The Free State of Winston.
Nancy Wackerle Camp
Used to live in Arley on Smith Lake.
I am confused. My family lived near Arley at Falls City from 1907 to the 1940’s and they always referred to Arley has the town of “Meek” (not named for them but for another Meek) Now they did call it Arley by the late 1930’s but they did not know why it was called Meek or why the name was changed to Arley. I do know that there were others who reffered to Arley has the Meek name. Do you have any research on this or the reason for this discrepency?
this town was once called “Meek”
Alabama had to change the name of mostly everything in order to effect the fraud of adverse possession in order to defray the Federal Law called the Non-Intercourse Act and Worchester v. Georgia which made the entire State’s existence Repugnant to the Constitution, Treaties, Federal Acts, and Judicial Decree.
But it has happened so far uncontested.
The town of Arley, at one time, was located on Hwy 41 where Arley Baptist Church is located today. There was a school, store and churches. Around 1921 Meek High School was built because there wasn’t a high school in the area. As time went by the smaller elementary schools, including the one at Arley, consolidated into one on the same property as Meek High School. The school was named after A.B. Meek. That area was called Meek because of the name of the school. I’m not sure when the town down at Arley died. Although the town is named Arley, we still call the area where the school, store and businesses are Meek.
Donnette May