In the middle of the Great Depression, under the direction of General Relief Society President, Louise Y. Robison, what would become the world-famous Relief Society ”Singing Mothers” was organized.
Since most women, at this time, were mothers, the name felt appropriate. But in Oslo, Norway, where there were many single sisters, the name “Singing Sisters” was used.
Every ward had their own singing group that practiced regularly. The standard dress was a dark skirt and a white shirt. Pres. Robison figured every woman had that in their closets already and wouldn’t need to purchase anything new. With that simple uniform, it was easy for wards to get together as a stake for conference, or stake groups could get together for Regional or General Conferences.
Throughout these years, the Singing Mothers broadcast programs over KSL Radio.
Singing Mother groups formed in various Relief Societies all over the world. They reported from Stuttgart to Argentina. Women were learning about music, how to sing, and how to prepare music for various meetings and conferences. Many European sisters expressed how singing helped them get through the war.
1500 Singing Mothers prepared to sing for the Relief Society Centennial, in 1942. The celebration was canceled, however, because of rations
caused by the war.
If a Relief Society was small and not musically inclined, it didn’t stop them from forming a choir anyway. The enthusiasm for song and camaraderie spurred them toward success.
I wonder what happened to the Singing Mothers? I wonder what happened to music practice and music appreciation in our Relief Society meetings?
I hadn’t heard of the Singing Mothers until I came across an old cookbook put together by some sisters in a Kansas ward in the sixties.
This is an awesome site. Thanks for providing it. It has some very valuable information for LDS sisters etc.
Rosey
My mother was a Singing Mother. I suppose looking back it seems an odd name for a choir of women, as I am sure some single sisters sang! They always wore white blouses and were always given a simple little corsage to wear when they sang in Sacrament Meeting or Stake Conference.
Singing Angels.
Does any one have any pictures of Singing mothers? Any picture would do, but more fun would be a picture for the Singing Mothers in Houston Texas about 1968. My mother was it. They made a record album with a picture on it, but we have not seen that for years.
All of the Relief Society Magazines are now available online at http://www.archive.org. Do a search and you will be able to pick from their 60 (?) volumes. There are tons of pictures of Singing Mothers from all kinds of stakes throughout the world over the years.
Are you up for a challenge? Ask permission to form your own Singing Mothers group in your ward or stake. Don’t forget the corsages!
Does anyone know what songs they sang?
(Like “I have a testimony” or “The temple by the river”)
Did they sing “The joy of being a woman?” by JoAnn Doxey?
Where is their music available?
That is an interesting question. I have never seen a list of songs they sang, but I do know why they were formed, which gives me an idea of a possible answer.
President Robison served as Relief Society General President in between the war years. Her purpose in bringing Relief Society sisters together was two-fold: 1) to bring unity to the sisterhood, and 2) to bring a ray of hope to people around the world.
1) The uniform for the Singing Mothers was a simple white blouse and dark colored skirt, something that every woman had in her closet already. With this common outfit, different groups, wards, stakes, etc. could be brought together to sing with little trouble. This tells me their songs had to be fairly well known by everyone in order to take best advantage of the easy mixing of the groups.
2) The Singing Mothers were meant to bring joy back into everyone’s life as they recovered from devastating war (sadly, only to have to face another.) To bring true peace and comfort to others, choirs typically sing familiar songs to their audiences.
There may have been some familiar songs of the time, that have lost their popularity over the years, but most of what they sang most likely came from the hymnbook.
Interestingly, this is what the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings mostly today.
I have a copy of “The joy of Being a Woman” by Joanne Doxey arr. by Debbie Schoonmaker.
As a young mother, I sang with the Singing Mothers in Grace, Idaho, in 1960. The choir was conducted by a lovely woman and talented musician, Gerry Forbush. She went to RS Conference and brought back some beautiful music for us to learn and perform at stake converence. One piece I have always remembered learning and singing with her was an arrangement of “Still, Still With Thee”, music set to the words of the Harriet Beacher Stowe poem.
These words and the lovely arrangement, more beautiful and different from any of the arrangements I hear today, have been a source of solice and comfort to me for the last fifty-plus years.
I would be so very grateful if someone has that arrangement and could share it with me.
Gay Lynn Jorgensen, you may be interested to know this song was sung at Elder L. Tom Perry’s funeral. I don’t believe this is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing here, but this is the arrangement they sang.
Here is sheet music to a simple arrangement.
My mom was a singing mother in 1956. They got to sing in General conference.
My mother passed away earlier this week and was a member of the Singing Mothers in the early 60s in England. I am looking for an appropriate piece of music for her funeral in just over a week. Does anyone have any thoughts? I was a young child when she went travelling around the country singing and unfortunately I can’t find the names of any songs that might have been the favourites of the group. Thanks.
II understand that a ‘ Singing Mothers Choir’ was organised in England after WW2. ? Do you have any information of this event?
I’m sorry. I don’t know anything specifically. I do know every Relief Society all over the world had their own group of Singing Mothers. Pictures of these groups were sent in periodically and published in the Relief Society Magazine.
Gay Lynn Jorgensen I was going through some old vinyl records tonight and came across a record called “Idaho Stakes Singing Mother’s Chorus” and it has the song “Still, Still with thee”.
I joined the church in Nevada about 1971. We moved to Rupert, Idaho about 1973. At that time the Minidoka Stake was preparing a Singing Mothers’ Concert which I was privileged to participate in with about 70 Sisters. The theme was Home and Country. As I recall, some of the songs were: A House Becomes a Home, The Little Old Lady who Lived in a Shoe, Dear Land of Home (Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia), Here We Have Idaho (State song), and a beautiful NEW song As I Have Loved You, Love One Another. A professional recording company produced a record album of the performance. This was one of my fondest memories. Thanks for reminding me!
My mother was part of the Singing Mothers in Oklahoma I believe. I remember her playing the Album that was made . I think it may have been Tulsa they traveled to, to record it. The hymn I remember most hearing and her singing was “Love at Home”.
I would love to get a copy of the recording. Were records or rolls kept by the Church or copies of the Albums ?
My mother in law traveled to SLC to sing in a concert back in the 1960’s I the Susan Diego mother’s.
I have the small pin that is gold, shaped in a CTR shape with sapphires. It has an embossed SLC temple and a small mother of pearl with a small god shield with 2 musical notes.
I was told everyone in the group received one.
She was in the group for several years.
It’s very small/ delicate. About the size of a my ring finger – finger nail.
I’m typing up my mother’s (Helen Mar Carter Monson) mission diaries. She served in the California Mission 1938-1939 and mentions the Singing Mothers often (like everyone would know who they were). She mentions a Sister Crandall who traveled to Salt Lake for a recording session, and that the Singing Mothers got local radio time frequently. Mom hoped to join them at some point, but I don’t know if she was able.
My dad made all of the flyers and posters for the singing mothers while serving as a missionary for the British Isles mission in the 1960’s. I have an original sovenir program from their concert tour. It might be of interest to someone.
My mom Alice Vernon was one of the singing mothers from Preston district. I got all her poster from Manchester free trade hall, all the original music, score sheets, original program, newspaper cuttings, all original tour dates and original rehearsals. If anybody interested, you can email me.