Southern Gospel singers that call West Georgia home are also influenced by the convention songbooks that regional music publishers so heavily promoted in the early part of the 20th century as well as by the many gospel quartets that were traveling the country during that time. They use the same
Billy McElroy, Duane McBrayer, Marybeth Goyer, June Walker and Maxine House perform “Gently Jesus.”
Rudiment books published by A.J. Showalter were used extensively throughout West Georgia to learn the notes in singing schools. Showalter, a classically trained musician, published each of his books in shape-note and round-note styles, but the shape-note versions were much more popular. Singers at the Haralson County School of Gospel