Robin Goddard leads a group of shape note singers at the Little Greenbrier School House on July 17 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. According to the National Park Service’s Smokies Guide, the singers are continuing a tradition in which mountain people learned the rudiments of music through the use of shape notes.

published by PAUL EFIRD in KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL  July 23, 2016

Monthly Singings for August 2016

August 11-14, Camp Do Re Mi, Little Switzerland, NC. Singing School Camp. Filled.

NO Monthly Epworth Old Harp Singing,  Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, TN. Claudia at 865-673-5822.

Sunday, August. 21st, 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. 16th, 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. 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, Aug. 28th, 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, alto