Ye Shall Have A Song Cover

Order Your Copy!
(online, by phone or by
US mail)

75th Anniversary of the Greenville College Choir

Ye Shall Have a Song

A History of the Greenville College Choir

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Greenville College Choir, former GC choir director, Dr. Jim Wilson presents Ye Shall Have A Song: A History of the Greenville College Choir.

Dr. Jim WilsonBook highlights include:

  • Early history and Robert Woods era, plus James Wilson era and Jeff Wilson's five years
  • Over 150 pictures and 150 alumni anecdotes
  • 300 pages - 8.5" x 11", with hard cover
  • Choir Grace song and Choir Thanks song
  • 75 Years of annual pictures and personnel lists
  • 75 Years of literature the choir sang
  • 75 Years of spring tour itineraries
  • List of "most often sung songs"
  • Six years of research and writing
  • Complete list of all choir alumni


Book excerpts:

"From such a small midwestern college sprang an amazingly virile and tenacious musical organization, The Greenville College Choir. Robert Woods founded the choir in the fall of 1927, following a concert on campus by the famous Westminster Choir from Dayton, OH, the school where Robert studied for three years after graduating from Greenville College. Robert continued directing the choir until his retirement in May 1957. When I came to Greenville in September 1957, there was no way of knowing that my tenure would continue for thirty-six years."

"Since Robert Woods was a personal friend and we both had a long tenure, it seemed that I was the one who should research and bring together the materials for this history of the choir. One is amazed that this choir from this small college should gain such respect and wide recognition, in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, and St. Louis. They sang on radio from Detroit and Chicago when radio was in its infancy.
      During the limiting years of World War II the choir continued to function, even for a period without men's voices and singing more on campus than further afield. Tenacity is an appropriate description of Robert Woods and the GC choir. In those days a college choir singing unaccompanied music and going on extended tours was a rather new idea. Robert was bringing to Greenville the pattern established by the St. Olaf College Choir under F. Melius Christiansen and the Westminster Choir under John Finley Williamson, Robert's teacher."


Order your copy! (online, by phone or by US mail)


Last updated: November 28, 2001