My Mamaw Sings

Emma Eliza Beasley Cravens

Recorded January 22, 2012

These are all really short audio clips - each less than four minutes.

Coming 'Round the Mountain

When I grow too old to dream (followed by questions about her life in Beals and Reed, Kentucky.

Farther Along (Duet with Jayne - excellent harmonizing by Mamaw)

Life is Like a Mountain Railroad (Duet with Jayne - she kept forgetting the words, but she was getting tired)

And a video!

Video of Emma singing just a bit of "When I grow too old to dream"

Emma was married James Vernon Cravens, also known as Jack Cravens. He was the pastor of these churches (which meant she was the unpaid choir director, Vacation Bible School coordinator, Sunday School teacher, wedding witness, counselor and everything else a preacher's wife does):

Sharon General Baptist Church (Newburgh, Indiana)
Mount Zion Baptist Church (Reed, Kentucky)
Reed Community Church (Reed, Kentucky)

About these recordings

Audio was recorded with Audacity (free software) via my MacBook, with its built-in mic.

Video was recorded with Kodak DX 3600 Zoom Digial Camera, bought in 2001 and still working!

You probably have the software to do this yourself. So do it with your own older relatives!

Also see:

A First-Hand Account of World War II Actions in the Aleutian Islands - an interview with Emma's husband, my grandfather, James Vernon Cravens (Jack Cravens), regarding his Army service during World War II from 1941 - 1944.