The Valley Would Be Filled With Sound

A little bit of my heritage.
Fa-So-La Singing, or what some call "shape note" singing.
Every year, during the summer, one of the churches in the community would host what was known as a "singing school". We would gather at night and learn how to sing the shape notes. So as we learned the songs, instead of singing the words, you sang the notes. 

It would be a week long event, that was part spiritual and part social but always managed to bond us all together. In the light of today's society, such things look out of place and even a bit archaic. Rest assured that at times during the singing, God's Spirit would be present and thick as the proverbial flea's on a dog.

The first thing you notice is that everyone is leading the song. Helps to keep time and of course, there were song leaders from different churches present. The other thing is the sound. You can hear the influence of Celtic and Gaelic ancestors in the music. It is a powerful sound that is not build around finding the different tones and nuances in the music. It is about proclamation and declaration of the Kingdom of God.

Because of the era it was, the 1950's/60's, and you just didn't travel like you do today. We think nothing about running to town to pick up something. You just didn't do that back then. SO life pretty much revolved around family and church. I am fortunate to have grown up in a strong church family, Gallant Baptist, and to have been taught by some incredible men of God. Rev. Lewis Wood, Rev. Don Gentry, Rev. D.E. Hendrix, Rev. Hugh O. Chambliss, all were used by God to shape me and help me be the man I am today. 

So sit back and take in the incredible sound of Fa-so-la singing.
Not every one's cup of tea...
But it cranks this old soul's tractor.

God on you...
mb