Anthology of American Folk Music
Volume 2: Social Music, Track 45

PRESENT JOYS
Alabama Sacred Harp Singers

Recorded Atlanta, GA: April 16, 1928
Alabama Sacred Harp Singers
Originally released Columbia 15274D

This group is presumably from rural Alabama, which has been a stronghold for African American sacred harp singing since at least the late 19th century. This style, which relies both upon printed song books and oral tradition, has fallen from favor in many parts of the South. Late in the 20th century, sacred harp singing was kept alive among rural Black Americans in south central Alabama by a grassroots, community-based organization called the Wiregrass Singers. This does not appear to be the same group as Denson's Alabama Harp Singers, who are mentioned in Harry Smith's notes, since they were an Anglo-American congregation. Another similar group came to the Newport Folk Festival in later years to replicate the sounds of these recordings.


OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Gospel: as Rocky Road: Emmett Brand (Folkways 2655 c); Sacred Harp Singers (VG 9182a). As Present Joys: see Sacred Harp Singing with Dinner on the Ground (PRS 0739a).