Voice | Flawn Williams | All Levels | Period 3 | Week 2 (July 13-18, 2025)
In Street Corner 101 we’ll listen to and sing along with the original versions of classic songs and obscure wonders of a genre of urban music from the mid-20th century that after the fact was labeled “doo-wop.” This street corner singing tradition, originally African American, was almost exclusively a cappella and was characterized by nuanced rhythm and phrasing, as well as distinctive harmonies. The “timbre” of the music came from the shaping of vowels and percussive consonants. Over the course of the week, we’ll take apart songs to look for good lead lines, backup harmonies, clever bass parts and/or a potential for vocalizing the instrumental and rhythm section backup. And we’ll trade around parts to see what works well, as we make the songs our own. Sensitive language advisory: Anyone who may be offended by the words “love,” “girl,” “baby” or “rama lama ding dong” should probably stay away from this class.
About the Instructor
Flawn Williams has led workshops and informal jams at Augusta every summer since 1982, singing shape note hymns, shanties, doo-wop, country gospel, and other sorts of songs from his eclectic repertoire. He coordinated Augusta’s Vocal Week program from 1997 to 2024.
He also has performed in many Washington Revels productions in the Washington DC area, and has sung in the choir for the Kennedy Center’s annual ‘Let Freedom Ring!’ concerts honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., backing up such luminaries as Aretha Franklin and Audra McDonald.
Flawn started out singing early, harmonizing with his parents and older sister around their South Carolina home and on road trips in their ’54 Ford. Other influences included church choirs, novelty records on the jukebox at the local A&W root beer stand, and both the reborn traditional songs and the socially-conscious new songs of the 1960s ‘Folk Revival.’
His recorded singing credits include harmony vocals on albums by John McCutcheon, Bryan Bowers, Ginny Hawker &; Kay Justice, Jennifer Armstrong, Ann Porcella, Pete Kennedy, and others, as well as singing on holiday special features for NPR’s All Things Considered. He also produced Cathy Fink’s solo album “The Leading Role”; and Ginny Hawker & Kay Justice’s duo album “Signs and Wonders.”
After three decades on the NPR staff, Flawn spent another decade teaching music recording and podcasting techniques at Georgetown University, wrapping up that chapter in 2019. From his home in Maryland he continues to produce podcasts for Malcolm Gladwell and other clients, and leads online singing sessions that attract singers from across the country.
https://www.youtube.com/live/H132bKJNL9U?si=eVZIUZagJJ_EIfNf