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The Bulletin OF THE S OCIETY FOR A MERIC A N M U S IC FOUNDED IN HONOR OF O S C A R G . T. S ONNECK Vol. XXXV, No. 2 Spring 2009 Researching Southern Gospel Music in Kentucky and Tennessee By Kevin Kehrberg The Southern Appalachian 1940s and ‘50s, Lair’s Renfro Valley pro- Archives duced some of the most successful coun- In the early twentieth century, “con- try music radio programming in America. vention” gospel singing was a widespread The Southern Appalachian Archives The gospel singing groups captured on pastime in America. Spread through resides within the Special Collections and the archive’s numerous non-commercial singing schools and songbooks utilizing Archives Department at Berea College’s recordings of Renfro Valley radio programs a seven shape-note system, convention Hutchins Library. It houses organiza- were the main foci of my research. gospel music (also called “southern gos- tional records, personal papers, oral his- The bulk of audio material I examined pel”) became the most popular form of tories, and photographs that document had been converted from its original for- amateur musical engagement in many the history and culture of the Southern mat (transcription discs, reel tapes, etc.) areas, particularly in rural regions of the Appalachian region. These archives also to high-resolution digital files and stored southern and southeastern United States.1 include Berea’s massive and unparalleled on Berea’s dedicated server. The sound Participants gathered regularly to sing Appalachian Sound Archives, largely archive’s contents are fully searchable at community “singings” and singing consisting of non-commercial material via an online database available through conventions, and certain localities could and profuse in such areas as fiddle and Hutchins Library’s Sound Archives web- often boast several well-polished church banjo field recordings; ballad singing; page. In addition, many selected audio choirs, singing groups, and/or gospel folktales and legends; and Old Regular continued on page 18 quartets that used convention songbooks Baptist services. Specific collections (issued each year with new songs) as the include the Appalachian Ballad and Folk basis for their singing. Thanks to their Music Collection, 1911-1975; John C. wide use among early radio and record- Campbell Folk School Collection, 1909- in this issue: ing artists (e.g., string bands, professional 1981; John Harrod Kentucky Fiddle Music quartets, country singers), many conven- Collection; Reuben Powell Early Country Researching Southern | 17 tion songs became extremely popular Music Collection, 1910-1982; and the among the national populace as well. William H. Tallmadge Baptist Hymnody Gospel Music in Kentucky Despite its former popularity and con- Collection, 1968-1980. and Tennessee tinued practice, convention singing—a In 2005, Berea College began its major component of America’s lesser- Appalachian Music Fellowship Program, Report on American | 19 known white gospel tradition—remains an initiative that supports graduate stu- largely untouched by scholarly scrutiny. dents, faculty, public school teachers, Music from the Music There are, however, a handful of insti- and/or performers in one to three month Library Association meeting tutional collections devoted to American residencies for the purpose of conduct- vernacular and popular music that con- ing research in the Appalachian Sound Denver 2009 Conference | 22 tain holdings connected to this tradition. Archives and to promote the preserva- Reports and Photos Two such collections have been particu- tion of and access to its contents. For larly useful in my recent research on this my fellowship project during the sum- topic: the Southern Appalachian Archives mer of 2007, I worked primarily with Adrienne Fried Block | 26 at Berea College (Berea, Kentucky) and the John Lair Papers, 1930-1984. Lair Remembered the Center for Popular Music at Middle was the famous impresario behind the Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, Renfro Valley radio barn dance programs Reviews | 30 Tennessee). broadcast from Renfro Valley, Kentucky, that began in the late-1930s. During the continued from page 17 trade catalogs; the reading room col- gressed in our documentation and rec- lection (reference works, discographies, ognition of America’s diverse musical recordings from the more than 90,000 and other published books); periodi- legacy, some areas have been left behind. entries in the Appalachian Sound Archives cals; performance documents; archives/ Only by examining the complete spec- can be downloaded online through the manuscript collections; and photographs. trum of American music can we more Digital Library of Appalachia (www. Most of these subgroups are conveniently fully understand its profound impact on aca-dla.org). The DLA is a remarkable searchable online via the Center’s special shaping our society. Thankfully, Berea web resource that gives online access to collections databases. Areas of particular College’s Hutchins Library and Middle archival and historical materials (record- depth include rock and roll and its musi- Tennessee State University’s Center for ings, documents, photographs) related to cal roots, the music of Tennessee and Popular Music have taken a leading role the Appalachian region and its culture. the southeast United States, and vari- in preserving some of America’s more Its contents come from the special col- ous forms of vernacular religious music. overlooked musical traditions, and they lections of twelve Appalachian College It also deserves mention that the large are doing an exemplary job. Association member libraries joined in private collection of the late Charles K. a mutual effort to make such materials Wolfe, who passed away in 2006, is grad- Notes more available for public use. Through ually being processed and catalogued into 1 See, for example, William Lynwood the DLA, rare and unique performing arts the CPM’s holdings. A longtime MTSU Montell, Singing the Glory Down: Amateur media from Berea’s Southern Appalachian faculty member, Wolfe was a prolific Gospel Music in South Central Kentucky, Archives is now available from any com- author, scholar, and one of the foremost 1900-1990 (Lexington: University Press of puter with online capabilities. authorities on American music, especially Kentucky, 1991). In addition to its meticulously country and gospel music. 2 http://popmusic.mtsu.edu organized collections, the Southern I visited the CPM to conduct research Appalachian Archives possesses an in its strong collection of vernacular reli- extremely knowledgeable staff. Thanks gious music. My dissertation’s main focus This article previously appeared in a to their help, my completed residency is the twentieth-century gospel song slightly different format in the Spring- work included adding new oral histories composer Albert E. Brumley (“I’ll Fly Summer 2008 issue of Performance! the of former performers who had worked at Away,” “I’ll Meet You in the Morning,” Society of American Archivists performing Renfro Valley and uncovering some 1950s “Turn Your Radio On”). Without ques- arts newsletter. radio broadcasts in need of preservation tion, Brumley was the most recognizable Kevin Kehrberg is a Ph.D. candidate in (portions of which are now accessible composer to emerge from the conven- musicology at the University of Kentucky. He via the DLA). Information on Berea tion singing tradition. However, most of is currently completing a dissertation titled College’s Southern Appalachian Archives, his five hundred-plus published works “‘I’ll Fly Away’: The Music and Career of the Appalachian Music Fellowship appeared only one or two times, and Albert E. Brumley and the Cultural Impact Program, and the Appalachian Sound Brumley himself kept poor record of his of his Most Famous Composition.” A web- Archives can all be found at www.berea. compositions. Thus, the annual con- page for the Appalachian Music Fellowship edu/hutchinslibrary/specialcollections. vention songbooks from the 1920s to the 1970s—published by such firms as project that he completed at Berea College the Stamp-Baxter Music Co., the James exists at http://www.berea.edu/hutchinsli- The Center for Popular Music D. Vaughan Music Publishing Co., and brary/specialcollections/amfpkehrberg2007. the Hartford Music Co.—remain the asp. Established in 1985, the Center for best resource in which to find Brumley’s Popular Music at Middle Tennessee music. The CPM is one of the few insti- State University (headed by Paul Wells, tutions realizing the importance of this SAM’s president from 2001-2003) is a greatly understudied area of American research library and archive dedicated to music. As a result, they currently own the the study and preservation of American largest collection of convention shape- popular music from the colonial era to note songbooks amassed by any public the present. The CPM’s mission, as stated entity. Moreover, all of these songbooks on its website, is to “promote research have been catalogued in their rare books and scholarship in American vernacular database and are searchable online. As music, and to foster an understanding with Berea, the staff at the CPM was very and appreciation of American’s diverse helpful and willing to assist my research musical culture.”2 In addition to being in any way possible. For more informa- a research center, the CPM also presents tion on the Center for Popular Music and public concerts and events and sponsors to browse its collections, please visit their research

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