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AP PHOTOS: A 180-year-old singing tradition is getting a new edition of its beloved hymnal
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Andy Ditzler stands in the center of a hollow square, "The Sacred Harp" formation in which singers organize into four voice parts and face each other to create an opening in the middle, at Holly Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Bremen, Ga., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. - photo by AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski
BREMEN, Ga. (AP) — A Christian hymnal called “The Sacred Harp” is at the heart of a more than 180-year-old American singing tradition that is as much about the community as it is the music. Initially published in 1844, a new edition of the songbook — the first in 34 years — is being released later this year by the Sacred Harp Publishing Company. The refresh is meant to breathe new life into the hymnal while preserving its history and role in the a cappella group practice known as Sacred Harp singing.