The 44th Annual Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing

Pisgah Presbyterian Church
Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky
Saturday, May 16, 2026

The 44th Annual Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing, which is hosted by the Appalachian Association of Sacred Harp Singers (AASHS) was called to order at 9:05 am by Alana Boltz, with help from Ron Pen.
James Thobaben gave the blessing.
The singing used The Sacred Harp, 2025 edition and The Southern Harmony, 1854 facsimile, 1987 UofK reprint.

Leaders:
63, Coronation - Joy Dunn
135, Olney - Alana Boltz
312b, Restoration - James Thobaben
313b, Cobb - Al Grindon
68b, Ortonville - Darrell Lahm
146, Hallelujah - Ron Pen
145t, Warrenton - Ray Rechenberg
49b, Mear - Susan Loucks
74b, King of Peace - Randy Webber
73b, Arlington - Erin Fulton
144 (SoH), O Come, Come Away - Rafi Finkel
344, Rainbow - Joy Dunn
40, Lenox - Tim Gregg
115, Holbrook - Alana Boltz
39t, Detroit - Tom Morton
38t, Winter - Amy Pemberton
347b, Humility - Tim Morton
95, Vernon - James Thobaben
142, Stratfield - Al Grindon
58, Pisgah - Don Waggener.

RECESS

The lesson was reconvened by Alana Boltz.
288, White - Rob Coulston
46, Let Us Sing - Darrell Lahm
524, Moonlight - Ron Pen
300, Calvary - Ray Rechenberg
99, Gospel Trumpet - Susan Loucks
236, Easter Anthem - Randy Webber
312b (SoH), Sweet Heaven - Erin Fulton
123 (SoH), Disciple - Rafi Finkel
551, Jacob's Vision - William Hayes
507, Woodlands - Debbie Hall
172, Harmony - Michael Domino
322 (SoH), Samanthra - Adrian Eldridge
163b, China - Alice Bean.

RECESS

Ron Pen convened the Memorial Lesson.

SICK AND SHUT-INS:

Ron Pen mentioned a number of people who had been listed as sick and shut in. These included Chris Holley (listed by Erin Fulton), Mary Brinkman, Ed Walton (in a retirement home in Cincinnati following an auto wreck, per Ray Rechenberg), Sheila Chitwood, Brenda Waters, Robert Pemberton (Amy Pemberton's father), and Carl Skeigers, who broke his hip the previous week. Ron led 128, The Promised Land, in their honor.

MEMORIAL LESSON:

Ron Pen explained how the memorial lesson worked, with everyone who wrote down a deceased person's name leading a song in their memory.

Erin Fulton memorialized Phil Perrin, a music scholar she cited in her dissertation. She called up to ask him to explain a footnote from 1965. Perrin was involved in shape note singing as well. She led 89b (SoH), Happy Land, in his memory.

Tim Morton memorialized Joyce Walton, known as “the first lady of shape note”. She was a lifelong singer and generally influential. Tim asked for other singers who knew her better to say a few words as well. There being no takers, he said that they met at the Liberty convention singing in Henagar, Alabama (likely the Henagar-Union Convention) when he called David's Lamentation. In Louisville, this song is sung slowly, but in Alabama they typically sing it faster. When he asked the singers to go a little slower, they were audibly dismayed. However, Joyce pulled him aside and told him that he gets to lead however he wants to. In her memory, he led 268, David's Lamentation, at a clip.

Susan Liddle memorialized her mother, Elise “Boots” Liddle, who passed away earlier this year. She (her mother) was born in France but grew up in LA. She was sent to boarding school and eventually married Susan's father, who was from Iowa. Susan emphasized her mother's strong faith, even as she declined in her last few months. She led 159, Wondrous Love, in her mother's memory.

James Thobaben memorialized John Reiferath, the husband of one of his wife's childhood friends. He said that John had only recently retired but had suffered a massive heart attack. James led 455, Soar Away, in his honor.

Ray Rechenberg requested that we add Mary Creech from Findlay, Ohio. Creech's husband Greg is a retired Methodist pastor. Mary served as a docent and was also a multi-talented pastor's wife and a cook. She was on vacation with her two adult daughters in Gatlinburg when she passed suddenly. Rechenberg said that she “died as she lived” and led 285t, Arnold, in her honor.

Alana Boltz memorialized her grandmother, Esther Boltz, who passed away in October 2025. She said that while her grandmother wasn't a shape note singer, she was a woman of deep and profound faith. She led 277, Antioch, in her memory.

Ron Pen memorialized Jane Stephenson, who was a shape note singer and the wife of the president of Berea College. She also founded the New Opportunity School for Women and received a Kentucky Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also a member of Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church. Laura Earles mentioned that they sang Greenwich at John Stephenson's inauguration as college president. The lyrics famously speak of “see[ing] the wicked placed on high”. Ron Pen led 163b, China, in Jane Stephenson's memory.

Ron Pen also memorialized Carol Elizabeth Jones, who died of cancer at age 65. She was a librarian who lived in Lexington, Virginia and was a part of the Hopeful Gospel Quartet on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion. She recorded several albums as part of this group and her daughter Vivian is also a traditional singer. Ron led 45t, New Britain, in her memory.

Adrian Eldridge memorialized William “Bill” Shetter, who was both a Quaker and a good shape note singer. Ray Rechenberg said that he often “sang his age” and came to shape note singings up until when he was 90. Adrian led 499b, At Rest, in his honor.

Ron Pen adjourned the meeting and took a free will offering.

James Thobaben gave the blessing and the lesson was adjourned for lunch.

LUNCH RECESS

The lesson was reconvened by Rafi Finkel.
66, Jordan - Susan Loucks
   “Lansdowne” - Rafi Finkel (original composition)
86, Poland - Randy Webber
145 (SoH), Rhode Island - Erin Fulton
335, Return Again - Amy Pemberton
544, Youthful Blessings - Tim Morton
47b, Idumea - Marcie Thobaben
130, The Old Graveyard - Bill McNiece
504, Wood Street - Laura Earles
210, Lena - Kelly Toon
484t, Millbrook - Cassi Funt
378b, Never Turn Back - Joy Dunn
59 (SoH), Sweet Harmony - Tim Gregg
223, Balm in Gilead - Alana Boltz
155, Northfield - Tom Morton
481, Novakoski - Jim Thobaben
174, Petersburg - Al Grindon
410t, The Dying Californian - Don Waggener.

RECESS

The lesson was reconvened by Rafi Finkel.
569b, Sacred Throne - Charles Colston
209, Evening Shade - Darrell Lahm
528, Showers of Blessings - Debbie Hall
390, New Prospect - Michael Domino
166 (SoH), Sweet Rivers - Adrian Eldridge
466, Haynes Creek - Alice Bean
117, Babylon Is Fallen - Ron Pen
71, Leander - Ray Rechenberg
516, Granada - Tim Gregg
159b (SoH), New Haven - Rafi Finkel
269, Bear Creek
16 (SoH), Star in the East - James Thobaben
334 (SoH), The Christian's Farewell - Randy Webber
35b (SoH), Parting Friends - Erin Fulton.

The class sang 267, Parting Friends, as they shared the parting hand.
Dismissed at 3:08 pm.

Chairman and treasurer—Charles Coulston; Secretary—Alana Boltz.