Originating in Harris County, Georgia in 1844, westward migration brought the Sacred Harp songbook to East Texas, where the East Texas Musical Convention was founded in 1855. The East Texas Convention is the the oldest singing convention in Texas, and the second oldest continuous Sacred Harp singing convention in the United States. Originally residing in the Southern United States, the "discovery" of Sacred Harp around 1976 led to its spread into the north and west, and even back to Great Britain. With this "discovery", the East Texas Convention has grown into a major annual event that draws visitors from many of the United States.

Vaughn is a native East Texan, a fifth generation Sacred Harp singer and a member of the East Texas Convention. He also holds membership in the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies and the Georgia Baptist Historical Society.

This book relates the history of the East Texas Musical Convention through its official records (minutes), its people, its places, its traditions, and memories of living participants.

Order from:
Robert L. Vaughn
3528 County Road 3168 West
Mt. Enterprise TX 75681
903.863.5379
For more information, e-mail rl_vaughn@yahoo.com