The Singing and Praying Bands sang at the 2014 NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert on Sept. 19 at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. (Michael G. Stewart)

The origins of the Singing and Praying Bands of Maryland and Delaware go back to the days of slavery, and they have been a key part of church life in the African-American Methodist community for generations.

The music been heard by few outsiders and the number of people participating in this music has been shrinking over the years. There’s now just one Singing and Praying Band left, traveling from church to church across the eastern shore of Maryland and coastal Delaware.

The good news, though, is that the music is now reaching a much larger audience. From the Here & Now Contributors Network, Matthew Schwartz of WAMU has the story.

• Read more on this story via WAMU

Reporter

• Matthew Schwartz, reporter for WAMU. He tweets @techMSS.