I'd love to see this program... it seems to me that what might have been missing in the discussion is the comparison between the Lewis style and the style of rural white southern U.S. singers. A number of years back, Vic Gammon (a Brit, for those who don't know him -- Senior Lecturer on Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University, formerly at Leeds) was on staff at Pinewoods Folk Music Week (U.S., for those who don't know it). He brought along a sampler compilation of various interesting singing styles (wonderfully entitled "Religious music and other fruity vocals from Europe and the USA") to compare and contrast. Among them, a couple of tracks described thusly:

"Lining psalms and hymns, 'the old style of singing' (the heterophonic style that preceded the reform represented by shape note music and 'west gallery music'. From Lewis (Hebrides) and Kentucky (1959)"

The Kentucky sample was from a rural white church congregation.

I was astounded by the apparent relationship between these two samples. The "lining out" or "presenting" aspect of the form is certainly not the only thing comparable in the structure. The scale(s), the individualistic variations, the microtonal ornamentation... Also, in listening again this morning, I'm also struck by the lack of regular rythm, like the Irish "sean nos" I've heard. I don't think I've ever heard any African American music be so arrhythmic.

I wish there was some way to attach sound samples here; if I had a web site I'd link them. (I could send them to anyone who's interested - PM me.)

The sound seems to me to be distant from modern white or black gospel, though certainly related. That particular Kentucky church sound is probably extinct now, or certainly nearly so.

So I'd say, that if the programs presenters missed a piece of the puzzle in presenting their story if they didn't get that in. "Call and response" style singing is widespread in the world, and when white and black singers met they undoubtedly both brought that to the table (although there are subtle differences between the nature of "lining out"/"presenting" and "call and response". The interchange after that is interesting to speculate on.

Also, I'm making assumptions that "presenting" and "lining out" are terms for same thing...? And, thanks for the refs. to the discussing by Wilgus and others.

~ Becky in Tucson
(home from work with a snuffling boy)