Thanksgiving
for a Musical Heritage
By Candy Neely Arrington
I remember the steamy attic of my grandmother’s
un-air-conditioned house on Cornell Street. For some reason, my cousins
and I thought that storage place beneath the eaves magical.
We popped the bottoms out of numerous hanging garment bags
because they made a great hiding place, if you stood in them
and zipped them up.
Once
we discovered an old burled wooden trunk in the attic. Somehow,
we found the key and opened it wide to display its treasures.
A hinged, compartmented shelf rose with the lid, revealing
mother-of-pearl boxes full of costume jewelry. There were
other treats – funny hats with feathers, platform shoes,
purses, and near the bottom, four matching yellow-gold, hand-embroidered
jumpers made by my grandmother. The accompanying blouson-sleeved
blouses were also there. At the bottom of the trunk were
pictures of my grandmother Ruth Scruggs, my mother Mildred
Scruggs Neely, and my aunts Marjorie and Marilyn Scruggs
dressed in those outfits, mouths open in song, in front of
bulky 1940’s-era studio microphones. With some prodding,
I was able to uncover the beginnings of my musical heritage.
My
mother’s family moved to Spartanburg from northern Alabama in July of 1936. The family
was raised on all-day Southern gospel singings, both sides
of the family being musical. My great-grandfather Pa Jim
Scruggs played the banjo, and his wife Dora sang alto and
played the pump organ. My grandfather Ottis, their son, played
hymns on the piano. The hymns all sounded alike to begin
with and then moved to a more familiar tune as the song progressed.
He also sang, but being rather timid, confined his vocal
efforts to the privacy of his home.
My grandmother Ruth played piano and sang tenor.
Prior to moving to South Carolina, she and three of her friends
were “on the circuit” as a female gospel quartet. Once in Spartanburg, she was determined to
reproduce the same quartet sound with her three daughters.
So in the late 30’s, the “Four M’s” (Mildred, Marjorie, Marilyn,
and Mama) were regulars on WSPA radio. They sang hymns in
three-part harmony, and of course, wore the matching dresses.
During the war-era 40’s, my uncle Jim Scruggs joined
the group and they became known as the “Singing Scruggs,” entertaining
at Camp Croft for chapel services and
singing contemporary songs for the servicemen at other times.
My aunts and uncle were part of the youth choir at First Baptist Church and later the A Cappella
Choir, now the Sanctuary Choir. My aunts remain members today.
My
love of music began around their piano or sitting on a summer-evening
porch on Cornell Street singing my heart out in
harmony. My first memories of classical “high-church” music
came listening to Tom Lyles play the organ at First Baptist
when I was about five years old.
During my childhood, my grandmother taught piano
and voice lessons in her home. I struggled through many a
piano lesson until I learned the hour went much faster if
I actually practiced the pieces during the week. I had the
privilege of singing in the children’s, youth, and adult
choirs under the leadership of Ronald Wells at First Baptist,
and today sing under the leadership of Steve Skinner. During
college, I sang with the Wofford College Ensemble, now the
Show Choir. Following college, I ventured into a year of
organ lessons.
It
seems only natural that I fell in love with and married a
man who plays the piano and organ and has a beautiful baritone
voice. From the time our children were in the womb, they
heard classical music. Our son danced in my belly one December
as I sang Handel’s Messiah and our daughter was so
energized by a sacred concert that we had to leave because
I feared I would give birth to her there.
Today,
Neely, a freshman at Anderson College, plays the violin in the
Anderson Symphony. Beginning with piano in third grade, she
joined the District Six Strings program in fifth grade and
advanced to serve as Concertmaster her senior year at Dorman
High School. She also participated in the children’s choirs,
Key Change and Mirror Image choirs at First Baptist.
Jay,
now a freshman at Dorman, sings with Mirror Image, plays
cello, acoustic and electric guitar, and any other instrument
that happens to interest him. He is a member of the Freshman
Strings at Dorman, Honors Orchestra, Fiddlers, and plans
to audition for the Jazz Band.
Some
of our greatest family times occur around our piano, with
additional instruments, indulging ourselves in the sheer
joy of music. Often my mother, aunts, and uncle are part
of those gatherings. My grandmother would be proud.
Music
is a gift. For us, it is also a passion. I’m thankful that
years ago in rural Alabama my ancestors fanned the
flame of musical talent into a burning passion that transcends
genealogy and lives on in my children and eventually, hopefully,
one day their children. I thank God for a musical heritage
