Skip to main content

National Quartet Convention


The National Quartet Convention, started in 1957, is an annual gathering of Southern Gospel performers and their fans. It was started in Memphis, then moved to Birmingham, then to Atlanta. It returned to Memphis in 1961 and drew crowds of more than twenty thousand in the sixties. It was moved to Nashville in 1972 and remained there until 1993. We were able to attend a few years while it was in Nashville. In 1993, it was moved to Louisville, Kentucky. It remained there until it was moved to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, this year.

Many of the professional singing groups are from the Southeast, and they were thrilled that the convention moved to Pigeon Forge.  We were thrilled, because it is close enough to attend.  However, not everyone was thrilled.



The LeConte Center is a new facility in Pigeon Forge that seats 12,000 people, all on one level. It was sold out every night, and many people couldn't get tickets.  The parking wasn't great, and many people were not happy. Hopefully,  it will improve every year if we can just be patient.


In spite of a little inconvenience, it was a beautiful time.  It is good and healing and strengthening for the family to get together annually and share with one another.


We laughed.  A lot! We cried some, we praised, we hugged, we planned. It was refreshing.










We enjoyed all the performances, but Guy Penrod was my favorite for the week.


Next year, the Quartet Convention will be from September 28 through October 3.  I think I will buy my tickets early for 2015.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Holy Smoke Pie

I think it was in the late seventies that I first had Holy Smoke Pie.  It was at a party at Debra Morris Harville's house.  After we ate, Debra had to give the recipe to everyone there.  I came home and made it for my family, and it has been a favorite since then.  I always make it at holiday dinners, because I believe tradition is important.  It has become a favorite of our granddaughters. I've heard it called Chocolate Delight, Four-Layer Chocolate Dessert, and other odd things.  We call it Holy Smoke.  Here is how I make it: Chop us a cup of pecans; set aside. Add a stick of softened butter (NOT margarine) to one cup of self-rising flour. Cut the butter into the flour. Add the chopped pecans, and work it all together. Save two tablespoons of the pecans to sprinkle on top. Pour into a 9" x 12" pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Spread it over the bottom of the pan.  It helps to use your hands (or hand, if you have t

Amish in Stantonville, Tennessee

Last week, my sis and her hub went with us to the Amish community near Stantonville, Tennessee.  It was a beautiful day, and we love driving to new places and finding new treasures.  We enjoy these mini-trips we take together, where we giggle a lot and get caught up on everything.  Also, the squirrels ate all our tomatoes, so we needed to find some to buy. You know the food you are buying is fresh when they bring it from the field while you are standing there waiting for it. Here is part of what we brought home, and it was all delicious. Stantonville is located in McNairy County, Tennessee, northwest of Shiloh National Military Park.

Cedar Trees in Cemeteries

If you ever wander in old cemeteries, and I know many of you do, you are bound to see some cedar trees. The tradition goes back to the early days of the United States and even earlier  in Europe.  Cedar trees were not always used, but some type of evergreen trees were planted because they were a symbol of everlasting life.  Some  Cherokees believed that cedars contained powerful spirits, including the spirits of the departed buried beneath them. Perhaps because they are known as burial trees, there are many superstitions that surround cedars.  My grandmother told us in no uncertain terms that if we planted a cedar tree, we would die when it was large enough to shade our graves. Some others are: Never transplant a cedar tree; it will bring bad luck. If you transplant a cedar and it dies, you will die shortly. Planting a cedar tree in your yard welcomes poverty. Some say Christ was crucified on a cedar tree, and will bring bad luck if you burn it. If a cedar tree com