Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs was filled with song over the weekend of August 12-14 for the centennial observance of Cecil Sharp’s and Maud Karpeles’ 2016 visit there and the reunion of the Jane Gentry family. Jane Gentry was the singer who provided Sharp and Karpeles the most songs.

The workshops were led by Daron Douglas, Jane Gentry’s great granddaughter, and Betty Smith, author of  “Jane Hicks Gentry: A Singer Among Singers.” The gathering featured ballad singing, poetry, fiction and a warm, wonderful time for the appreciative participants and family members who enjoyed the hospitality of Sunnybank Inn’s owner Elmer Hall.

The Saturday night gathering featured performances by workshop leaders and participants. The evening included a discussion of the evolution of folk songs through time and the issue of changes due to the “folk process.”      Author Terry Roberts read from his new novel  “That Bright Land” and talked about his earlier book, “A Short Time to Stay Here,” set in Hot Springs, that included Jane Gentry as a character.