(This post was updated on May 26, 2014. See below.)
When We All Get to Heaven was written in 1898 and first appeared in Pentecostal Praises (Philadelphia: Hall-Mack, 1898). Eliza Hewitt penned the lyrics, and Emily Wilson composed the music.
It’s been fun to work this tune up for thumbpicking, and the song works really well on guitar. It is part of the collection of hymns and gospel songs on my CD, Picking the Faith.
Doc Watson did some nice thumb and finger style arrangements of late 19th and early 20th century gospel songs on the album On Praying Ground (1990). I’ve been learning some of Doc’s arrangements and trying to do my own arrangements of a few revival hymn tunes, including this one.
I hope you enjoy it!
Here’s an addendum to the original post. I used this arrangement of When We All Get to Heaven in the traditional thumbpicking guitar contest at Mountain View, Ark., in 2014. I was a little rattled and started it at a faster tempo than I intended, but for what it’s worth, here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmeCxCJodQI
Loved it…used to sing it often in the Pentecostal Churches I was raised in during childhood and early adulthood. Pat Carruthers suggested I give it a listen…glad I did.
I have since become one of those “liberal” Methodists in a long story of “moving to the left” in my theology as well as politics. I have become very “liberal and inclusive” in my music as well…performing a number of genres.
Really enjoyed the “thumb picking” and your degree of execellence as a player. I will check back now and again.