Torres E. Attaway interview with Newman Edgar Denney and Denney family

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If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Timestamp 0:23: This recording starts with the Denney family harmonizing and demonstrating Fa So La singing from the "Original Sacred Harp" Hymnal published in 1960. The first song, "Cuba," was written in 1859 by J. H. Bolen and H. S. Reese. They next sing "Resurrected," written in 1908 by S.M. Denson, and "Jester," written by S. M. Denson in 1908. Timestamp 6:56 The Denneys discuss the verses of the next song, a hymnal published in 1923, before harmonizing again. The fifth song the Denneys sing, "Boylston," was written in 1707 by Isaac Watts. "Murillo's Lesson" is the last song they sing, which was written by an unknown composer. Newman Edgar Denney (1885-1976) was born to James Thomas Denney (1863-1938) and Laura Smith Denney (1868-1925). He lived in Carrollton, Georgia, with his wife Willie Myrt Shadinger Denney (1899-1984) and their six children: Vivian Denney Rogers (1917-2002), Wilford Edgar Denney (1919-2002), Thomas Felton Denney (1921-2007), Newman Early Denney (1924-2015), Jimmie Carroll Denney (1929-2009), and Charles Max Denney (1932-2006). Denney enlisted in the United States Military in 1917 and worked as a farmer. N. E. Denney: N. E. Denney and family. Page 401. Tune Cuba. Fa Other members harmonize. SACRED HARP NOTES N. E. Denney: Words. N. E. Denney and family: Go preachers, and tell it to the world, Go preachers, and tell it to the world, Go preachers, and tell it to the world, Poor mourners found a home at last. Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Poor mourners found a home at last. Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Trough free grace and a dying Lamb, Poor mourners found a home at last. N. E. Denney: Sol La Sol Other members harmonize. SACRED HARP NOTES N. E. Denney: I was tryin to sing a little treble. N. E. Denney and family: My fathers gone to view that land, My fathers gone to view that land, My fathers gone to view that land, To wear a starry crown. Away over yonder, away over yonder, Away over yonder, To wear a starry crown. N. E. Denney: Mother then. N. E. Denney and family: My mothers gone to view that land, My mothers gone to view that land, My mothers gone to view that land, To wear a starry crown. Away over yonder, away over yonder, Away over yonder, To wear a starry crown. Away over yonder, away over yonder, Away over yonder, To wear a starry crown. N. E. Denney: Sol Fa Fa Fa Fa I was just singin two complete notes here. Sol Fa Fa Fa Fa Hold that one. Felton Denney: Daddy, hes ready to record now. N. E. Denney: Ready. Tune Jester. Page 331. First chord. Yall help me on the chord. Sol Other members harmonize. SACRED HARP NOTES N. E. Denney: Now our fathers and mothers. N. E. Denney and family: If our fathers want to go, Why dont they come along I belong to this band, Hallelujah. If our mothers want to go, Why dont they come along? I belong to this band, Hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, I belong to this band, Hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, I belong to this band, Hallelujah. N. E. Denney: Thats three of em. One more. Felton Denney: Now how many verses you gonna sing on this, just one? N. E. Denney: You want more than one verse? Mrs. N. E. Denney: Well, they like the words to that so they want. . . N. E. Denney: Ya like the words, uh-huh. Mrs. N. E. Denney: We could sing it all if he wants it. N. E. Denney: La La La La La Ready? Did ya say were ready? Attaway: Yes, go right ahead. N. E. Denney: Fa Others harmonize. SACRED HARP NOTES Felton Denney: We goin go right on. N. E. Denney and family: Young ladies all attention give, You that in wicked pleasures live; One of your sex, the other day, Was called by deaths cold hand away. N. E. Denney: Second one. N. E. Denney and family: This lesson she has left for you, To teach the careless what to do; To seek Jehovah while you live, And everlasting honors give. Her honored mother she addressed, While tears were streaming down her breast; She grasped her tender hands and said, Remember me when I am dead. She called her father to her bed, And thus, in dying anguish, said; My days on earth are at an end, My soul is summoned to attend. Before Jehovahs awful bar, To hear my awful sentence there; And now, dear father, do repent, And read the holy Testament. And now dear father, do repent, And read the holy Testament. SACRED HARP NOTES N. E. Denney and family: My God, my life, my love, To thee, to thee I call; I cannot live if thou remove, For thou art all in all. Thy shining grace can cheer, This dungeon where I dwell; Tis paradise when thou art here, If thou depart tis hell. Mrs. N. E. Denney: Its too high for Garvin. L. G. Denney: Alright, here we go. N. E. Denney: You gonna sing base. Now lets see, the second, -third. N. E. Denney and family: The smilings of Thy face, How amiable they are; This heavn to rest in Thine embrace, And nowhere else but there. To Three, and Thee alone, The angels owe their blissl They sit around Thy gracious throne, And dwell where Jesus is, Not all the harps above, Can make a heavnly place; If God His residence remove, Or but conceal His face. N. E. Denney: Fa Others harmonize. SACRED HARP NOTES N. E. DENNY: Thats enough of the notes. Words. N. E. Denney and family: As down a lone valley with cedars oer spread, From wars dread confusion I pensively strayed, The gloom from the face of fair heaven retired, This winds hushed their murmurs, The thunders expired; Perfume as of Eden flowed sweetly along, A voice as of angels, enchantingly sung, A voice, as of angels, enchantingly sung, Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise, The queen of the world and the child of the skies. Perfume as of Eden flowed sweetly along, A voice as of angels, enchantingly sung, A voice, as of angels, enchantingly sung, Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise, The queen of the world and the child of the skies. Felton Denney: Thats enough. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. 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