The finding and editing of the music of Luke Peeples, my father’s first cousin, has consumed many hours of my time over the last 20 years. Luke’s nieces, Jeanne Saussy Wright and Estella Saussy Nussbaum, and I spent many years trying to find all of Luke’s music. Sadly, we don’t think we succeeded. It is a great pity that many, if not most, of Luke’s efforts have been lost.

Luke spent much of his life listening to and recording as many of the Gullah Spirituals as he could. He probably found and arranged hundreds of these precious songs. The history of Luke’s life as a creative artist is a monumental cautionary tale. For whatever reason, he was not able to assure that his works would be saved. And, as he slid more and more into Alzheimer’s, he was less and less able to maintain his works.

For more information about Luke and his music please visit Luke Peeples’ Music | astarfell.com and Old Gullah woman profoundly influenced South Carolina poet and composer, Luke Peeples | The Graves House.

Luke’s music, The Collected Works of Luke Peeples, is available in two volumes. The biographical book, A Gullah Psalm, The Life and Works of Luke Peeples, by Estella Saussy Nussbaum & Jeanne Saussy Wright, is available from LP COLLECTIONS, LLC., 12 East Jones Street, Savannah, GA 31401. More details about all three of these books are available on my website, astarfell.com. Art work in this article and on Luke’s Collected Works is by R. S. Perry. Her works can be seen on her website, cronesinger.com.

We need your help. We are currently looking for a permanent repository for Luke’s music. Please contact me, John Graves, at jsgsix@gmail.com if you have any suggestions. Thank you.