Documentary
Sweet Is the Day (2001)
A Sacred Harp Family Portrait
Sweet Is the Day: A Sacred Harp Family Portrait tells the story of the Woottens, one of the key singing families who have helped Sacred Harp music survive and flourish for more than 150 years. Producer/Folklorist Erin Kellen and Director Jim Carnes intertwine scenes of family gatherings, singing conventions, and farm life in the Sand Mountain region of northeast Alabama with family recollections and more than a dozen songs from the revered shape-note tradition. The video explores how Sacred Harp singing is about more than just music - it is a life-shaping force, reflected by tradition, deep spiritual belief, and the community that embraces it.
