Moral Re-Armament spawned groups that were similar to its Sing Out ’65 in 44 cities by April of 1966. [1] One apparently was organized at the Indiana Yearly Meeting in August 1965. [2] When the Teen Ambassadors performed in Greenfield, Indiana, in November 1966, a local newspaper described them as "kind of a Quaker Sing Out group." [3] Their second album [4] included Up, Up with People’s "What Color Is God’s Skin?" [5]
Presumably someone from the Yearly Meeting went to the 1965 youth conference on Mackinac Island mentioned in the post for 23 February 2020. The group organized before MRA’s Sing Out ’66 appeared in Indianapolis in April of 1968. [6]
The Ambassadors began with twenty high-school students, [7] and grew to forty to fifty people in a year. In that time they had appeared in fifty churches where they usually conducted the evening service. [8]
The first Quakers in Indiana came from North Carolina in 1806. [9] They soon were followed by others attracted to cheap fertile land that wasn’t embedded in a slave economy. [10] By 1820, more that two thousand Friends had settled in small, enclaves in Wayne, Randolph, and nearby counties. [11] They later were joined by Quakers moving west from Pennsylvania and Ohio. [12]
The October 1860 Yearly Meeting was the first to hold a session specifically for the young. This led to "a new path of evangelicalism." [13] This blended into Phoebe Palmer’s Holiness Movement after the Civil War, [14] with an influx of Methodists toward the end of the century. [15]
The Methodists probably were ones exiled by their home churches when the Methodist hierarchy began opposing more radical forms of Holiness preaching. [16] The immediate effect was an introduction of Wesleyan practices including hymn singing. [17] Some meetings in Indiana began to pay pastors. [18]
The Ambassador’s director, Dale Lewis, was music director for a revival crusade in Winchester that brought together 20 churches from Wayne, Randolph, and Jay counties in 1966. [19] This was probably the homeland of many of the young choir’s members. Lewis lived in Lynn in Randolph County. [20]
The teenagers probably met on a regular basis in Lynn to rehearse, and traveled by automobile to the various churches where they performed. The number who went to any one event probably depended on the distance and the timing in the academic year.
The Teen Ambassadors made an album in June 1971 when more than a hundred people appeared in the group photograph. One side featured contemporary music supported by a Beatles-style band. The other side had more traditional gospel songs like "How Great Thou Art" [21] and "Blessed Assurance" [22] with piano accompaniments that would appeal to older members of the audiences. They also included two songs songs in the spiritual tradition: Ralph Carmichael’s [23] arrangement of "Amen" and "Kumbaya."
The arrangement of "Kum - Ba - Yah" used soloists for the two verses, while the group sang the burden. The first time the young men and women used chordal harmony, and the other two repetitions were more complex, but identical. Variation was introduced by the pianist. [24]
The musical choice showed a deep understanding by Lewis or his assistant of the capabilities of adolescents. No song on the album was outside the range of developing voices, except for the last line of "How Great Thou Art." [25] By using instrumental, rather than vocal, variations in the music he was able to create a version that could be sung by however many people happen to show up an any given event.
The album only included singing by the choir. However, newspapers noted their performances also included instrumental music, with duets, trios, and quartets. [26] Some individuals, no doubt, spoke about the humanitarian missions they supported with the offerings, [27] and their personal faith. [28] This kind of variation was another way Lewis could provide an evening’s entertainment or church service with a group of committed, but variously rehearsed, school students.
Although the group appeared in eleven states, [29] most of the Ambassadors’ appearances fell into the old Quaker area marked by the counties of Howard (Kokomo), Randolph (Lynn), Wayne (Richmond), and Hamilton (Westfield). Lewis indicated "they have been invited back to some churches every year." [30] By 1972, they had their own weekly radio program. [31]
The choir traveled to the Kansas Yearly Meeting in September 1972, [32] and Jan Crouch was listed as musical director in October in the last newspaper report of the group on-line. [33] Lewis’ son entered college that fall. [34] In 1974, Lewis was mentioned as the pastor with a Quaker church in Wichita. [35]
The Ambassadors lasted long enough for children who were in sixth grade when it was organized to sing with the group in their senior year of high school.
Performers
Vocal Soloists: probably Rebecca Reece and Larry Lewis
Vocal Group: photograph shows 26 young men; 36 young women are to their right (stage right) and 44 to their left
Vocal Director: Dale Lewis
Instrumental Accompaniment: banjo, piano, possibly guitars and bass
Rhythm Accompaniment: drum set
Credits
arr. Derric Johnson - Lillenas Pub. [36]
Notes on Lyrics
Language: English
Pronunciation: kum by YAH; kum had a hard "k" and a short "u"
Verses: kumbaya, praying, singing
Vocabulary
Pronoun: someone
Term for Deity: Lord
Special Terms: none
Basic Form: verse-burden
Verse Repetition Pattern: kumbaya after every verse
Ending: repeat word "kumbaya" at end of each verse
Unique Features: none
Notes on Music
Opening Phrase: 1-3-5
Tempo: moderate
Basic Structure: strophic repetition after the first "kumbaya" verse with the vocal part; the instrumental accompaniment varied with each iteration
Ending: held last "Lord" of final verse and slow the final repetition of "kumbaya"
Singing Style: one note to one syllable, except for final "Lord"
Solo-Group Dynamics: when the young woman began the "praying" verse, the group repeated "kumbaya" three times, starting a little after she began. They continued this pattern for the rest of the song, both when the young man was singing the "singing" verse and when the group was singing the "kumbaya" burdens. The chords were more complex on the final iteration.
Vocal-Accompaniment Dynamics: banjo solo by Larry Lewis introduced the song and accompanied the first "kumbaya" verse sung by the group. The piano took over with the young female soloist, and remained the main accompaniment thereafter. While the pianist played chords, he or she also added elements borrowed from Southern gospel music like counter melodies and arpeggios in rests in the singing. It remained subdued throughout, and may have been supplemented by the guitars and bass: elsewhere on the album the group used an acoustic and an electric guitar, and an acoustic and an electric bass.
Notes on Performance
Occasion: recording session
Location: "on location recording." [37] The group was photographed in the mourning bench area of a church. The walls were plain white, with a simple wooden cross on the wall.
Microphones: recording session
Clothing: The girls were wearing dresses or jumpers and blouses; the hems generally were 2" above the knees; their hair was nape to shoulder length and not treated with dyes or strong permanents. The boys wore suits or sports jackets with ties; their hair did not extend beyond the hair line in back, but was long in front like the early Beatles.
Notes on Movement
In the photograph, the group was standing in four rows on risers. The young men were in the middle and visible from the central aisle. The wooden pews blocked a clear view of the young women’s legs and feet.
Notes on Performers
Dale Lewis graduated from Fort Wayne Bible College "in 1952 with a Diploma in Bible." He and his wife, Judith Moser, were ordained and served in Quaker and Daniel Warner’s Church of God churches. [38] In 1974 he was named chairman of the Youth Commission of the Evangelical Friends Alliance and listed as living in Wichita. [39]
His son Larry played banjo on the "Kumbaya" and probably sang the male solo. His dormitory supervisor at Fort Wayne Bible College remembered he had a low voice. While at the school he played basketball and sang "with the college singing group Positive Side in the summer of 1973." He moved to Kansas after he graduated, earned a teacher’s certificate and coached high school sports. More recently he has been on the staff of the Evangelical Quaker college in Haviland, Kansas, [40] where he continues to share his "musical talent." [41]
Douglas Jan Crouch grew up around Farmland, a small community in Randolph College where he played trumpet as a boy, [42] and studied piano. [43] He taught choir in the local high school from 1992 until 2007. [44] He later taught at the Muncie Music Center. [45] During the open meeting on the elimination of his position in Knightsbridge he sang eight bars of "Amazing Grace."
"He stated his performance was technically correct, general music will meet the minimum requirements for this task. He repeated the same eight bars and stated the difference between the first and second was the addition of heart and soul. He said when you take away choral you take away the heart and soul of the music department." [46]
Availability
Teen Ambassadors. "Kum - Ba - Yah." Sing for Christ. LP 390. Recorded by Crusade Enterprises, Flora, Illinois, in 1971. [47]
Graphics
Ruhrfisch. "Locator Map of Indiana, United States." Wikimedia Commons. Uploaded 2April 2007; last updated 25 April 2017. Based on map issued by United States Census.
End Notes
1. "‘Sing’ Out ’66 Stirs Waves of Patriotism." Indianapolis News. 30 April 1966.
2. Liner notes, Sing. "The Teen Ambassadors group was born out of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the Sessions of Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends in August of 1965."
3. "Greenfield Friends." The [Greenfield, Indiana] Daily Reporter. 11 November 1966. 6.
4. Teen Ambassadors. Travel for Christ. LPS 452. Produced by Crusade Studios.
5. Details on "What Color" appeared in the post for 23 February 2020.
6. Indianapolis News.
7. "Teen Ambassadors Appearing." The Kokomo [Indiana] Tribune. 17 June 1972. 5.
8. Daily Reporter.
9. John William Buys. "Quakers in Indiana in the Nineteenth Century." PhD dissertation. University of Florida, 1973. 8.
10. Buys. 10–11. Ashley Humphries studied a group who moved from Westfield in Surry County, North Carolina, to Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana, in the same period. She reached the same conclusion that their reasons were mainly economic. In addition, she thought the fact there was a larger community in Indiana with more possible marriage partners was a draw. [48]
11. Buys. 10.
12. Buys. 11.
13. Buys. 277–278. Quotation, 278.
14. Buys. 280–281. Students at the Quaker Earlham College were involved in the 1866-1867 school year, and "the General Meeting in 1867 became in fact a Friends’ revival meeting with Quaker evangelists in charge." [page 281]
15. Buys. 278–280.
16. A syncretic relationship existed between the Quaker’s Inner Light and the Holiness experience.
17. Buys. 283.
18. Buys. 283–285.
19. Daily Reporter.
20. Liner notes, Sing.
21. A number of settings exist for Carl Boberg’s poem, "How Great Thou Art." Stuart K. Hines’ 1953 version was popularized by the Billy Graham crusades. [49]
22. The music for "Blessed Assurance was written by Phoebe Palmer’s daughter, Phoebe Knapp. [50] The words were added by Fanny Crosby in 1873. It first was published by Palmer’s Guide to Holiness and Revival Miscellany. [51 Carlton Young said it became " one of the ten most popular hymns sung by United Methodists." [51]
23. Carmichael was discussed in the post for 15 December 2017.
24. Three people were listed as piano players on the album: Marjorie Stevenson, Jan Crouch, and Rebecca Reece. Since Reece also was listed as a soloist, she probably did not play on this song.
25. "How Great Thou Art" uses a wide vocal range. The soprano part in the Methodist hymnal goes from middle C to, in the last phrase, high E. [53]
26. "Teen Ambassadors Presenting Program at Sycamore Friends." The Kokomo Tribune. 13 January 1968. 7. Clipping posted by bscjones on 19 December 2015.
"Teen Ambassadors Are To Appear At Friends Church." Anderson [Indiana] Daily Bulletin. 9 December 1966. 24.
27. Liner notes, Sing. "The youth donate their time and travel. Through contributions received at each performance, Teen Ambassadors have supported mission work in East Africa, Jamaica, Oklahoma, and Teen Challenge."
28. Kokomo Tribune, 1972. It described "a program of songs and testimony."
29. Liner notes, Sing.
30. Liner notes, Sing. I assume the notes were written by Lewis.
31. Liner notes, Walk.
32. "KYM Youth Yearly Meeting." Evangelical Friend 6:21: September 1972.
33. Wedding notice. Palladium-Item [Richmond, Indiana] 27 October 1972. 10.
34. "Larry Lewis g76." Fort Wayne Bible Institute alumni website.
35. "Evangelical Friends Alliance Officers 1974-75." Evangelical Friend 7:19 March 1974
36. Liner notes, Sing.
37. Liner notes, Sing.
38. "Larry Lewis g76." Fort Wayne Bible College alumni website. Warner’s Church of God, located in Anderson, Indiana, was discussed in the post for 17 December 2017.
39. Evangelical Friend, 1974. The Evangelical Friends Church evolved among those meetings that were influenced by Joseph John Gurney and John Wesley in the nineteenth century. It began organizing formally in 1965. [54]
40. Fort Wayne Bible College. Haviland was settled by Quakers from Indiana; [55] its high school evolved into Barclay College [56] where Lewis was vice-president of Institutional Advancement. [57]
41. Dave Kingrey. "Larry Lewis." Promotion for Church Leadership Institute for Ministry conference, 11 July 2016. Evangelical Friends Church – Mid America Yearly Meeting website.
42. "Winners Announced." Palladium-Item. 28 March 1954. 12.
43. "Jan Crouch." Muncie Music Center website.
44. Jeff Eakins. "CAB School Board Officially Terminates Crouch’s Position." The [Knightsbridge, Indiana] Banner website. 30 March 2007.
45. Muncie Music Center website.
46. Minutes of a special session of Charles A. Beard Memorial School Corporation, 15 May 2007.
47. Kokomo Tribune, 1972, provided the recording date.
48. Ashley Ellen Humphries. "The Migration of Westfield Quakers from Surry County, North Carolina 1786-1828." Masters thesis. Appalachian State University, May 2013. 105–106.
49. Wikipedia. "How Great Thou Art."
50. Wikipedia. "Fanny Crosby."
51. Wikipedia. "Blessed Assurance.
52. Carlton Young. Quoted by C. Michael Hawn. "Blessed Assurance." The United Methodist Church Discipleship website. 18 February 2014.
53. "How Great Thou Art." The United Methodist Hymnal. Edited by Carlton R. Young. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989. 77.
54. Wikipedia. "Evangelical Friends Church International."
55. Wikipedia. "Haviland, Kansas."
56. Wikipedia. "Barclay College."
57. Kingrey.
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