Interview with Stephanie Davis Taunton, April 29, 2021

Interview Summary

Stephanie Davis Taunton explains that her family has deep roots in western Kentucky, despite moving frequently due to military service. She describes the history of the "Southern Harmony" and her memories of the Big Singing, including the timing of the singing, the Easter outfits that people wore, relatives who came, and where different people sat in the courthouse. She reminisces about the foods that she enjoyed at potlucks, practice singings, and family meals around Big Singing time. Some of the changes that she has noticed include increasing academic interest in Big Singing, the absence of memorial flower arrangements, and a wider variety of songs being sung. She closes by speculating about the future of Big Singing and describes the aspects of the event that she considers most essential.

Interview Keyword

U.S. military Singing schools Music education Shape notes Foodways Worship Baptists Presbyterians St. Louis, Mo. Beauregard, Ala. Nichols family Story family Parent-child relationships Sight-singing Vietnam War Funerals Women in public life Feminism "Sacred Harp" music Clothing/Fashion Glenn Wilcox Raymond Lay Nichols Frank Nichols Broadcasting "On the Road with Charles Kuralt" Native Americans Political correctness Spirituality Baptisms

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.