Interview with Roberta Borders, May 19, 1983

Partial Transcript: Mrs. Roberta Borders of Lynch, Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Borders describes her personal background and her involvement in singing in the church. She also speaks on her impressions of meter singing.

Keywords: "A Charge to Keep I Have"; "Amazing Grace"; "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"; "The Day Is Passed and Gone"; Baptist Church; Church members; Church services; Common meter; Congregation; Devotion; Husband; Line hymns; Lining out; Long meter; Lynch (Ky.); Marriage; Ministers; Old Dr. Watts; Prayer meetings; Prayers; Short meter; Song leaders

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American clergy; African American families; African Americans--Religion; African Americans--Social life and customs; Hymns; Music

Partial Transcript: What about "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Sing?"

Segment Synopsis: Borders discusses her favorite hymns, and even sings a few. She also says what she believes is the importance of these line hymns.
This portion contains singing, "Amazing Grace: (08:45-10:18), "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" (11:08-12:54), and "The Day is Passed and Gone" (16:16-19:30).

Keywords: "Amazing Grace"; "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"; "The Day is Passed and Gone"; Christianity; Church services; God; Line hymns; Rhythm; Shouting; Singing

Subjects: African American singers; African Americans--Religion; Hymns; Music

Partial Transcript: Do you know of any of the other, or many of the other, funeral songs that you sang?

Segment Synopsis: Borders discusses some of the funeral songs that she knows. She also goes on to describe the differences between the styles of singing line hymns.
This portion contains singing, "A Charge to Keep I Have" (25:00-25:28 and 25:51-26:33).

Keywords: "A Charge to Keep I Have"; Black youth; Common meter; Funeral songs; Hymns; Inflection; Long meter; Pitch; Popularity; Religious music; Short meter; Singing styles; Song leaders; Sunday school; Young people

Subjects: African American singers; African Americans--Religion; Music

Partial Transcript: What about the, um, the singing of the hymns in Alabama as compared to singing of the hymns here?

Segment Synopsis: Borders discusses the differences in hearing these hymns sung by people in Alabama and Kentucky. She also describes the meaning of the hymns.

Keywords: Black churches; Christ; Christianity; Church services; God; Gospels; Hymns; Lining out; Religious music; Sermons; Singing; Spirituals; White churches

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American singers; African Americans--Religion; Race relations--Kentucky