A century on
the mountain.
It began in 1924, when Joseph Larkin Hartley organized a simple church picnic on Grandfather Mountain — gospel music, fellowship, and worship in the open air on the fourth Sunday in June.
Stewarded for generations by the Hartley, MacRae, and Morton families, the free gathering grew into the longest-running gospel convention in the southern Appalachians. Today the Singing on Grandfather Foundation carries it forward — still free, still family, still rooted in the hope of the gospel.
Who's stood on this mountain
From circuit-riding preachers to household names — a hundred years of voices have carried across MacRae Meadows.
A tax-exempt,
public charity.
Honoring the legacies of the Hartley & Morton families and protecting the interests of The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is the primary concern. With their direction and guidance, Owen Gwyn, Harris Prevost — who has helped with the event for forty years — and Rev. Michael McKee, along with like-minded local volunteers, are working to ensure Singing on Grandfather continues.
Building on the harmony of the original concept, the Singing on Grandfather Foundation welcomes local church participation. Gospel music is a common thread woven among all Christian traditions, and the divine power within it binds together the many-membered body of Christ's living church.
Singing on Grandfather is a multi-church body venue — a praise and worship platform designed to unify all believers in song. The Foundation provides the structural, technical, and operational expertise to ensure the successful and sustainable continuation of this gathering.