Shape Note Singing: A Lost Tradition

Written by Lucille Johnson, Stroud (Chambers County), Alabama. Printed in the October 18, 2006 issue of the LaFayette Sun, a weekly newspaper published in LaFayette, Alabama.

This is the time of year that the Seven Shaped Note Singing Conventions (would) convene.

There were two singing conventions that sang the Seven Shape notes (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti), the East Alabama Union District Singing Convention, which was held on the 3rd Sunday and Saturday before in September, and the Southwestern Union Singing Convention held on the 1st Sunday and Saturday before in October. Those singings were widely attended throughout the area.

I remember back in the late 1950s seeing my mother and father (the late Jimmie L. Allen and Flora Allen) sitting around the fireplace learning new songs to sing at the convention. I became interested in note singing because as children, we weren't allowed to listen to any music except some country and spiritual songs — no blues because the radio was only on for just a little while. So, I learned how to sing the seven shaped notes.

The singers would have classes at different homes and churches preparing for the convention. When the singing convention came, the ladies would put on their very best hat and dress, and men their best suits. They would sit in a square; one area was sopranos, one area was tenors, one area was altos, and one was bass. The singer that was leading the song stood in the middle of the square to give the tune. The singers would catch the tune in their respective voice and the beautiful music would begin as the leader walked time around in the center of the square to the tune of the music.

During this time of the year the different denominations came together and had a grand time. Some of the songs sung were "The Old Gospel Ship", "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again", "John Knew", "Glory is Coming", "What a Happy Time", and many more too numerous to name.

The years of the singing conventions have gone away. Old tradition has fallen by the wayside in this area. All of the older people, the few who are living, Mrs. Bonnie G. Allen, Mrs. Mary Kendrick, Mrs. Willie Mae Bradshaw, and Mr. James Allen cannot go like they used to, and none of the young people want to learn to sing the notes.

The last East Alabama Union District Singing Convention was held at Macedonia Baptist Church in Five Points, Alabama in 2002, after poor attendance and the failing health of the president, the late Deacon W. K. Todd. The last Southwestern Union Singing Convention was held at Macedonia Baptist Church, Buffalo, Alabama in 2004, after poor attendance, and the failing health of the president Brother James Allen.

My husband, the Rev. Sanford Johnson and I sang sometimes at conventions, but the songs didn't sound like they should without singers in their respective voices. This is a tradition lost in our community.

Copyright © 2006, LaFayette Sun