One of the musicians in our film, Tim Eriksen, introduced me to the work of D. H. Mansfield. In 1848, Mansfield published “The American Vocalist: Tunes, Anthems, Sentences and Hymns“. In it, he compiled some of the most popular spiritual songs of his day. The American Vocalist, according to Tim, is similar to the more widely known Sacred Harp, published in Georgia around the same time, because it’s a compilation of old, vernacular American music.  In the warmer weather, the music of both books would be sung outdoors in groups.

While browsing in a flea market, Tim happened upon a copy of The American Vocalist that had belonged to a woman named Amelia Clark. Born around the time it was first published, she had cherished her copy of the book, underlining and adding notes beside her favorites. Among Tim’s favorite annotations: “as sung by Amelia Clark, 1949, age 99, over and over!”

Mansfield was a preacher in a little town just up the road from us: Hope, Maine. And when it was time to find a place to film Tim for the movie, it seemed only appropriate to visit the tiny cemetery where Mansfield is buried. We did.  The grass and wildflowers were creeping around stones that stood and those that had fallen.  

More on Southern Roots from Dirk Powell soon.

Posted on May 18th, 2009 in Christians, Indie Film, Neo-Traditional Music