Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp
Here’s a cool, new musical documentary that has been in the making for quite a while. One of the directors is the sister of a friend of mine. It’s about a type of religious singing that has a long Southern history. The executive producers are two guys from the band Third Day. I’m glad to see they are doing something good with the money they are collecting from all those soccer moms. 
Here is a summary of the film:
‘Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp’ is the first feature documentary about Sacred Harp singing, a haunting form of a cappella, shape note hymn singing with deep roots in the American south. Shape note singing has survived over 200 years tucked away from notice in the rural deep south, where in old country churches, singers break open ‘The Sacred Harp’, a 160 year old shape note hymnal which has preserved these fiercely beautiful songs which are some of the oldest in America. The film offers a glimpse into the lives of this ‘Lost Tonal Tribe’ whose history is a story of both rebellion and tradition. The filmmakers, Matt and Erica Hinton spent 7 years documenting this yet largely unknown art form.
View www.awakemysoul.com
July 19th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
We just viewed the film “Walk the Line” and shape note signing was mentioned in it as a dying art even in the 50s. I had previoulsy heard it mentioned at church in a conversation with some of the more elderly folks. It sounds intriguing to me.
July 24th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
The kind of shape note singing mentioned in “Walk the Line” is probably not the kind covered in the “Awake, My Soul” documentary (it’s probably something like seven-shape new book singing, as opposed to the four-shape Sacred Harp singing “Awake, My Soul” is about)… FWIW.
September 5th, 2006 at 11:49 am
For anyone interested, the film is now available for sale at their web site. awakemysoul.com. It is definately worth owning, especially for those interested in music history as well as Southern history. Once you watch it you’ll feel a strong desire to attend a singing, and that is truly one of the most unique and moving musical experiences you’ll ever have. Sacred Harp singing was also featured in this months Southern Living. There’s more about Sacred Harp sining in the on-line version than in the magazine itself.
September 8th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Rich (RKM) was telling me that in the efforts to get the documentary on GPTV, the programmers have said that the content is too religious in nature — the musical content is too proselytizing.
But they’re fine with telling kids that humans were created by random chance out of the primordial sludges all day long.
November 7th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Here’s an update from the directors — mark your calendars.
January 14th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I just saw the Georgia Public Broadcasting airing of the “Awake, My Soul” documentary that speaks so loudly to our souls in musical worship and thanksgiving. While watching, I heard myself mumble in harmony to words I do not know and somehow, felt almost the presence of being in the church with the singers. Please show the program again! Thank you.