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Explore every episode of the podcast Sacred Nine Project

Dive into the complete episode list for Sacred Nine Project. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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1–33 of 33

TitlePub. DateDuration
27} I Shall Be Left04 Apr 202500:15:16

As a child I was traumatized by the Second Coming. At any given moment, Christ may pierce the skies. If so, you’d better be saved. But in my culture, you never really know if you’re saved; if you sin too much, you wonder if you were really saved to begin with. Now that I’ve evolved from that, I wonder if being left behind might be an opportunity to roll up my sleeves and really get to work.

26} Verses for Children: A Transgender Reflection07 Mar 202500:39:18

We talk to the originator of these songs, Journey Schaubhut, a trans man, who gives us insights in his “journey” in transitioning gender as well as voice part. We are so grateful for this! I had chosen him because the logo for the concert was a Colonial boy and I thought his participation was just right.

To fill out the survey for our “Altar Call” concert, please visit here!

17} Introducing Hannah Hadassah Hickok05 Jun 2024

Get to know Hannah Hadassah Hickok Smith with me. A fascinating woman and worthy of song! I will develop a Sacred Nine Project about her "if I live," as she would say!

Check out Sacred Nine Project: The Mending Sampler, which is referenced in this episode.

Check out the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History & the Historical Society of Glastonbury!

16} The DMs, Divine and Moral06 May 202400:51:58
15} Libby Prison05 Apr 202400:58:26

Please like and subscribe.

Also, visit sacrednine.com and subscribe and consider giving! I want to try to apply for NEA grants, and for those you have to match funds!

14} The Tradition that Never Was05 Mar 202400:16:09

Please visit our website and contribute to our endeavors!

Giving!

13} "Indian Hymn" and its attribution to William Apess05 Feb 202400:40:34

Drew Lopenzina
Professor of Early American Literature and Native American Literature, Old Dominion University

Through an Indian's Looking-Glass: A Cultural Biography of William Apess by Drew Lopenzina
https://www.umasspress.com/9781625342591/through-an-indians-looking-glass/

Introduction to Native American Literature by Drew Lopenzina
https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Introduction-to-Native-American-Literature-1st-Edition/Lopenzina/p/book/9781138630246

Red Ink: Native Americans Picking up the Pen in the Colonial Period. by Drew Lopenzina
https://sunypress.edu/Books/R/Red-Ink

12} Brightest and Best (a conversation with Chris Fenner)04 Jan 202400:52:14

Learn about us.

Read about our upcoming musical satire on Christian nationalism.

Learn more about The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals.

Chris’ links can be found below, and here.

Chris Fenner is a premiere hymn scholar in the United States, creator and editor of HymnologyArchive.com, and contributor to the Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology, the Sounding Spirit Digital Library, and Hymnary.org. He is editor of The Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of Isaac Watts (D&T, 2016), Spurgeon's Own Hymn Book (Christian Focus, 2018), Amazing Love! How Can It Be: Studies on Hymns by Charles Wesley (Resource, 2020), and the forthcoming Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship (2024). Chris has also proof-edited other hymnal projects such as Sing the Wonders, 3rd ed. (Grace Music, 2021), Sing Unto the Lord (ACNA, 2023), and The Gospel Story Hymnal (Word & Wonder, 2023). 

11} I Heard the Bells06 Dec 202300:16:37
A Reflection for Thanksgiving05 Nov 202300:19:54
Christian Nationalism (a discussion with Andrew L. Whitehead)05 Oct 202300:44:21

Please help us with The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals

Andrew L. Whitehead
Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives (
theARDA.com) at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at IUPUI

Substack: https://www.andrewwhitehead.substack.com

Book: American Idolatry - https://www.amazon.com/American-Idolatry-Christian-Nationalism-Threatens/dp/1587435764

Christian nationalism Podcast: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/andrewwhitehead

Summer on Stage (4 of 4), Liz Argus II04 Sep 202300:39:14

Link to Liz’s bio

Please support The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals by getting the word out to potential composers, or by donating!

Consider becoming a Patron for Sacred Nine Project!

Also, please take our quiz about American Patriotism! It’s not up but keep checking back here!

25} A McKinley Moment06 Feb 202500:10:06

Sorry but this is kind of a downer. It’s about the state of our country. But the music I provide is sensational, thanks to the Sacred Nine Singers!

Also, you will hear in the episode about how I want you to share your “alter call phrases with me.” If you want to do that, visit here.

Summer on Stage (3 of 4), Liz Argus I04 Aug 202300:49:02

Link to Liz’s bio

Please support The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals by getting the word out to potential composers, or by donating!

Consider becoming a Patron for Sacred Nine Project!

Also, please take our quiz about American Patriotism! It’s not up but keep checking back here!

Summer on Stage (2 of 4)05 Jul 202300:36:10

Please support The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals by getting the word out to potential composers, or by donating!

Consider becoming a Patron for Sacred Nine Project!

Cora L Imposter (2 of 2)/Summer on Stage (1 of 4)04 Jun 202300:58:22

Our guest is the wonderful Regina YC Garcia

Purchase her transformative new book of poetry!

Please support The Jewel Prize for African American Spirituals by getting the word out to potential composers, or by donating!

Consider becoming a Patron for Sacred Nine Project!

Cora L, Imposter (1 of 2)05 May 202300:34:10
Regret, Repent, Rejoice (part 3 of 3)05 Apr 202300:32:36

Announcements from our guests: Fulton, Karlsberg, Marini, Norton, and Stowe, and sources for Sacred Harp listening examples

About Sacred Nine Project!

Essay on the parallel between Southern Harmony and Confederate monuments.

In this episode we talk about the singing style in shape-note practice. We also explore how shape-note singing began to flourish, not only in the Primitive Baptist Churches in the South, but also in liberal, urban centers. Finally, we discuss what modern day practitioners do about the offensive selections in Sacred Harp.

original Regret, Repent, Rejoice concert

Kiri Miller’s perspectives come from her book, Traveling Home: Sacred Harp Singing and American Pluralism, 2010

Regret, Repent, Rejoice (part 2 of 3)05 Mar 202300:38:08

Announcements from our guests: Fulton, Karlsberg, Marini, Norton, and Stowe, and sources for Sacred Harp listening examples

Letter from Dr. Harry Eskew

Original “Regret, Repent, Rejoice” works cited

March 19, 2023 New Orleans concert (Sacred Nine Project: Beautiful Isle of Somewhere)

About Sacred Nine Project!

This episode is about William Walker's Southern Harmony, the singing schools that brought it about, and the delicious musical oddities therein!

“Here we have the singing schools” (sung ‘heading’)
The chain of events that birthed then singing schools

“Then the shapes became the tools” (sung ‘heading’)
A discussion of shape-note singing

“Walker offers little jewels” (sung ‘heading’)
Background on Southern Harmony

“Music that defies the rules” (sung ‘heading’)
A granular look at the musical quirks

original Regret, Repent, Rejoice concert

background vocals: Sacred Nine Singers
prominent solo by Brian Martinez on THE FRENCH BROAD

Regret, Repent, Rejoice (part 1 of 3)04 Feb 202300:41:08

Announcements from our guests: Fulton, Karlsberg, Marini, Norton, and Stowe, and sources for Sacred Harp listening examples

Original “Regret, Repent, Rejoice” works cited

March 19, 2023 New Orleans concert (Sacred Nine Project: Beautiful Isle of Somewhere)

About Sacred Nine Project!

This episode is about the hymn texts of the 18th and early 19c.

“Hymns that touch my soul alway” (sung ‘heading’)
Examples of some of the best hymns from this era

“Hymns that travel on their way” (sung ‘heading’)
Ways in which hymnody evolves

“Hymns that keep some folks at bay” (sung ‘heading’)
The attitude of “othering” in these hymns, including shame-based theology, anti-Catholicism, colonization, and slavery

“Tell me, friends, what do you say?” (sung ‘heading’)
Conclusions about this body of work moving forward

background vocals: Sacred Nine Singers
prominent solo by Eric Anderson on “The Romish Lady”

Sacred Nine Project Trailer04 Jan 202300:06:51

In this trailer, we give you a glimpse into how Sacred Nine Project started, its mission, and its plans for the first two monthly episodes. We hope you join us for nuanced discussions about American Music History and what it can teach us about our country today.

Our website

Get to know us

Full musical numbers excerpted in this trailer

Choral Performers

24} Writing a (good) hymn?05 Jan 202500:12:05

Here you will learn the different things I consider and the several things that challenge me when I am writing texts!

23} TT&AL (READ EPISODE NOTE BEFORE LISTENING!)06 Dec 202400:15:58

IMPORTANT: At the point in the episode where I start asking the audience to vote for the “fake song,” pause the episode, visit https://sacrednine.com/demon and tell us which one YOU think is the fake!

Our wonderful performers are:

Meredith Hotard, Soprano
Ashley Lemmler, Alto
Yours Truly, Tenor
Joseph Mace, Bass

22} Thankful for Isaac Watts06 Nov 202400:11:27

I will share with you several artifacts associated with Watts, including three girls samplers, on which Watts' texts are embroidered. I also share with you my first published piece, sung by the Sacred Nine Singers!

To view pics of the artifacts, visit https://sacrednine.com/podguestnews

21} Sarah Maria Cornell and Methodism: a talk with Ellen Blue05 Oct 202400:48:49

Sacred Nine will be traveling to Swarthmore college on Good Friday, 2026 to "beatify" the brutally murdered Sarah Maria Cornell. Inspiration came from Murder in a Mill Town by Bruce Dorsey, Professor of History at Swarthmore. Ellen Blue helps us understand the kind of religious atmosphere Cornell would have experienced.

https://sacrednine.com/giving

https://sacrednine.com/martyr

20} Project 202505 Sep 202400:34:24
19} Sing Me, Sing Me Not (part 2)06 Aug 202400:25:37

In 2021, after having virtually eliminated the singing of Spirituals from my career, I decided to take a deep dive, asking African American scholars and performers their thoughts on whites singing Spirituals.

Original presentation video

18} Sing Me, Sing Me Not (part 1)05 Jul 202400:20:26

In 2021, after having virtually eliminated the singing of Spirituals from my career, I decided to take a deep dive, asking African American scholars and performers their thoughts on whites singing Spirituals.

Original presentation video

31} Iambs and Trochees and Anapests, oh my!26 Sep 202500:40:57

We talk about a lot of things…Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, but especially William Billings and his “erroneously” telling his readers to pair a text with tunes THAT DON’T MATCH! Did we crack the mystery?

You can read and link to Chris’ accomplishments here, and please check out his new book, “Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship.”

31} Summer on Stage: Diane Lala27 Aug 202500:25:37

This week, we sit down with Diane Lala, our director for Carousel. We talk about how we navigate the issues of domestic violence and suicide. We also talk about her history with Summer Lyric Theatre.

30} Summer on Stage: Melissa Marshall30 Jul 202500:23:51

This is a joint episode with my new podcast, Summer Lyric & Lore. The overlap here is the issue of how to, in our modern day, produce a play with such a problematic depiction of domestic violence.

29} Jan Schluter05 Jun 202500:33:53

“The Romish Lady,” trad., arr. C. Leonard Raybon

Sacred Nine Singers
Eric Anderson, soloist
Journey Schaubhut, soloist

28} Words of Welkin05 May 202500:48:10

This is Sacred Nine Project: Words of Welkin, offered with no introduction. This was offered on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Rayne Memorial Methodist Church.

It is essential that you follow along in the program because you will not be able to understand all the words if you don’t. You will see that early hymnody was, well….troubling.

You can find that program HERE.

Tomorrow is giveNOLA day. If you want to donate today or tomorrow, go HERE.

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