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AMAZING GRACE


Louis Petrone | Continued Slaves had to be replenished.


Most of the slaves delivered were young. Teenagers. Tey did not live long. Tey were literally worked to death. Te need to re- plenish drove the slave industry. John Newton was a slave trader.


A bad guy in his early years. Very bad. Mean. He was known by peo- ple acquainted with him as a des- picable person. On one of the trips across the


ocean, Newton and his ship en- gaged a violent storm. Newton thought he was going to die. He learned to pray. He asked God to save him. God did. Newton continued as a slave


trader for a few years. However, his conscience was now bothering him. He quit his chosen profession and went to theology school. New- ton became a minister. In 1779, Newton wrote Amaz-


ing Grace. Not as a musical piece. Not as a song. But rather a poem. His congregation would recite, not sing, the words at services. Te poem continued to 1835. At that time some one put it to


music. Tere was an English tune in New Britain. It became the melody for Amazing Grace. Prior to the 1960s, Amazing


Grace had no particular popularity. Except in the black churches. It be- came a song of hope and redemp- tion. An African American spiritual. Ten came the Civil Rights


Movement of the 1960s. Te marches, the boycotts, the assassi- nations. Amazing Grace gained na- tional prominence and popularity during that era. It also became a top-selling recording. Willie Nel- son, Elvis Presley and Tennessee Ernie Ford all recorded it. So did Althea Franklin and Judy Collins. And most recently, Susan Boyle. Amazing Grace’s history began


with the United States Constitu- tion, the law of 1808, John New- ton finding God, someone putting the words to music, and finally the Civil Rights Movement. Today the hymn is sung everywhere. Both for the living and dead. Warm and up- lifting.


e


Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound Tat saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.


Fourth Annual


From A Woman’s Hand Show


56 women artists from the Keys


Juried and judged by Judi Bradford. Prizes awarded at Champagne and Chocolate Reception 6-9 p.m., Saturday, March 19


SoDu Gallery 1102B Duval St. Spoonbill | by JAN LOVELAND


10 KONK Life


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