‘ BIG SINGING DAY AT BENTON
The movement for the revival of the old-fashioned mass harmony singing began in Benton in 1884
when ]ames R. Lemon, his brother George, and a few others, gathered at the Old Benton Seminary, ·
and sang songs from the Southern Harmony, “Singin’ Billy" VValker’s book. From this simple begin-
ning has developed the unique festival held regularly for fifty-four years in the courthouse in Benton,
V with many thousand attending from all over western Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois.
Before ten o`clock, on the fourth Sunday in May, the entire population of the surrounding
countryside arrives by train, in autos, buggies, and jolt wagons, and on foot, to swell the crowd
gathering in the courthouse and overflowing into the yard and square. The program is quite sim le,
, consisting of mass rendition of the old hymns and ballads without instrumental accompaniment. The _
singing is directed by a chosen leader and there is no prouder distinction. The singers are about forty -
old men and women who occupy the space behind the chancel rail, and as many others as can find space
in the courtroom. Promptly at ten o`clock the strains of “l·Ioly Manna" are heard from voices quaver-
ing with age but fervent with sentiment and a determination that the beloved old songs shall not die.
The leader, always an elderly man, holds the book in his left hand and beats time with the right; the
singers Hrst go through with the song, singing the notes, fa, sol, la, mi. If the leader is familiar with
g more stanzas than appear in the book, he lines them_out in the most approved manner. Some of the 8
favorite songs are “Lone Pilgrim,” “Bound for Canaan,” “How Tedious and Tasteless the Hours,`°
and “Green Fields.”
_ At twelve o’clock the throng leaves the courthouse and gathers in groups on the lawn under the
' trees for the basket picnic. After dinner the singers return to the courthouse and sing until 4 :00 P. NI.
Only a few of those present at the first “Singing Day" held in May, 1884, are living today, and
each year their ranks grow thinner. But the children and grandchildren have learned to sing the old
songs and to love them, and upon them will rest the responsibility of keeping alive this ancient
musical tradition.
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