Singing in the Country

media release: Join Wormfarm and special guests Ben Fink and Gwen Johnson on Saturday, August 19, for an interactive day of singing, sharing, and learning. Everyone is invited regardless of experience or ability!

The day will begin with a shape note singing school from 10:30 am-12:30 pm. Participants will learn this 200-year-old practice which has helped communities across the country and around the world come together. With the support of experienced song leaders, we’ll sing together in a unique, open-air tabernacle that dates back to the Second Great Awakening.

We will then break for a potluck lunch from 12:30-1:30 pm.

The second half of the day, from 1:30-3:30 pm, will explore the connections between singing and democracy. From farm organizing songs in Wisconsin to rural labor organizing songs in Kentucky, we will explore this important and fascinating history.

The event will take place at Witwen Park, a historic gathering place in the heart of Sauk County.

Ben Fink has worked with rural and urban communities in the North, the South, the Midwest, and the Appalachian coalfields to share stories, build power, and make change together across various imposed divisions. Ben holds a Ph.D. in cultural studies and rhetoric from the University of Minnesota. In 2020 he was recognized by Time Magazine as one of “27 People Bridging Divides Across America.” He lives in Philadelphia.

Gwen Johnson, a self-described hillbilly woman from the coal camp of Hemphill, Kentucky, is founder of Black Sheep Bakery and Catering and board member of Hemphill Community Center. Gwen graduated high school unable to read beyond a second-grade level and went to college the same year as her oldest daughter, receiving a BS at the University of Pikeville and an MA at Goddard College in health arts and sciences. She worked for twenty years as an administrator at the University of Kentucky.