A Brief Biographical Chronology of General Secretaries
Shape Note Minutes books serve as annual records of singing conventions, documenting attendees, leaders, and the songs led at each gathering. These books not only preserve the history of Sacred Harp style singing but also provide insight into regional traditions and the evolving shape-note community. Over the years, a succession of dedicated editors—both men and women—have maintained and shaped these records, ensuring continuity and accuracy. The following essay details this editorial lineage, tracing the individuals, from as far back as 1952 to today, who have carried forward this important tradition.
In 1951, J.J. Akers Jr. of Cullman, Alabama, served as the General Secretary of the Sacred Harp Minutes book. Reflecting on the challenges of that year, he wrote on page one of the Minutes: “This has been a long, lonesome year for me. To each of you who have been so kind and tried so hard to help me pass the time, I do thank you.” That year’s Minutes documented singings across three states: Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Earlier that January, Akers had lost his wife to illness. Just a few years prior, he had celebrated his golden wedding anniversary on the same day as the annual Cullman Courthouse singing.
Akers had been singing shape-note music all his life. The son of a Primitive Baptist elder, he was a regular attendee of the Cullman Courthouse singing, with records of his participation going back at least to 1908. He carried this deep connection to the tradition into his work as General Secretary.
Akers continued editing the Minutes until 1955, when he passed the responsibility to I.M. Heatherly. In 1962, Heatherly announced that he was stepping down, passing the role to L.L. Welborn. Welborn served as General Secretary for only a few years before Walter A. Parker took over in 1965. Walter, along with his wife Nora (Childers) Parker, brought a shared passion for Sacred Harp singing and organizing to the role. Nora’s name was soon included in the letters from the General Secretary, which had become a standard feature on the first page of the Minutes. Their sign-off, “Walter and Nora Parker,” conveyed a casual and warm partnership. Together, they became the longest-serving General Secretaries, remaining deeply involved in every aspect of Sacred Harp singing and organization.
The Parkers also contributed to Sacred Harp’s broader legacy. They appeared on the first LP issued by the Sacred Harp Publishing Company, and Walter served as President of the organization for at least part of the mid-1980s. In the 1989 Minutes book, Nora noted that while she was still diligently editing the Minutes, she was no longer able to attend singings, as she was caring for Walter full-time due to his Alzheimer’s disease. Walter Parker passed away on April 1, 1991, at the age of 101. Outside of Sacred Harp, he had dedicated his life to education, serving as a school principal, including at Pinson Elementary School.
Nora continued to serve as General Secretary and edit the Minutes for four more years before Shelbie Sheppard assumed the role. A new style for the Minutes was developed, refined, and ultimately standardized into the format we see today. Eventually, the Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association was established as a 501(c)(3) organization, and the task of editing the Minutes could became a more collaborative effort, but Judy Caudle took on the role equivalent to General Secretary.
For more information about the Minutes books:
https://originalsacredharp.com/2016/08/22/entropy-unpacked-the-entropy-number-from-fasola-minutes/
The Sacred Harp Publishing Company has blog posts with photos of Walter and Nora Parker:
https://originalsacredharp.com/2015/05/28/the-advancement-of-sacred-harp-music/
https://originalsacredharp.com/2016/12/31/the-matter-of-tempo-in-the-sacred-harp/
Here is a video from the 1998 United Sacred Harp Convention with Nora Parker leading 317 Jackson. She was Secretary of the All Day that year:
https://youtu.be/MTrpVdwKYrU?si=RS79xwod815yVp7x&t=253
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