Capture The Art Blog's

Billy Hogan (1933-1994) is probably best known for his "Shake It Over Sputnik" issued in 1958 on his own Vena label. He wrote songs for Ernie Ashworth (1928-2009) and also acted as his manager at a time, according to this snippet found in Billboard (issue dated October 30, 1961) :

Billy Hogan, president of Broom Music Company, is slated to leave Huntsville, Ala., at 6 a.m. Wednesday (1) armed with a broom, and plans to walk and sweep his way, 115 miles, to WSM’s Country Music Festival in Nashville. Huntsville mayor, R.B. Searcy, is skedded to see him off. Hogan is putting the big sweep on Enrest Ashworth’s Decca recording of « Be MineAgain. » Hogan wrote the tune in collaboration with Rose Hall, and Hogan’s Broom Music is publisher. Billy hopes to land in Nashville sometime Friday (3).

Picture credit : eBay http://myworld.ebay.com/investorinc/?_trksid=p4340.l2559

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The label says "Miami/Los Angeles" (?). More likely from Alabama, I guess.

Audio sample : http://myworld.ebay.com/dadomax (Birmingham AL)

Gospel singers from Hunstville, Alabama. Leon Gaines died in January 2010.

S Whit Denson / Denson Quartet

Denson Ep 555

9101 – I Won't Turn Back / New Morning Sun
9102 - The Better Land / Wonderous Love

Sacred Hillbilly Music Birmingham, Alabama.

The Denson family has been active in composing, arranging, and performing Sacred Harp material since 1844; Whit Denson was a third-generation Denson who led a number of Sacred Harp groups on important early recordings in the twenties and was noted for his very smooth, almost sweet alto voice.

About Sacred Harp Singing

Sacred Harp singing -- a form of Southern gospel music that's rather obscure to much of the general population -- "is characterized by mass participation, full-voiced singing, lack of instrumental accompaniment, and rotation of song leaders."

What is Sacred Harp Singing?

* Sacred Harp singing is an American folk tradition of singing hymns and gospel songs from The Sacred Harp, a 150 year old songbook that uses shaped note heads to indicate position in the scale.
* This is the type of singing that took place in the church scene in Cold Mountain.
* Sacred Harp singing is a participatory event, not a performance, although visitors are welcome to come and listen.
* The singers sit in a hollow square facing each other and take turns leading songs, which are sung in several parts without instrumental accompaniment.
* The music has a distinctive open and modal sound, and the singing is usually exuberant, rhythmic and full of feeling.