Delta Belles

by Penelope J. Stokes

The author of Circle of Grace hits all the right notes in this uplifting novel about the reunion of the Delta Belles, a music group that takes the country by storm in the 1960s.The year is 1965 and the Spring Fling Talent Show is in the works at the Mississippi College for Women, a proper Southern institution. As a joke, Delta Ballou puts the names of her three best friends on the list of performers. Rising to the challenge, they agree to sing and even convince Delta to join them. Rae Dawn DuChamp plays the piano and weaves harmonies in a smoky contralto. Lacy Cantrell masters the basic guitar chords, and her twin sister, Lauren, contributes a pleasing voice. They call themselves the Delta Belles and win the talent show hands-down.What started as a lark turns into an exciting adventure. The Delta Belles perform at protests and voter registration rallies across the country. As graduation draws near, all the Delta Belles seem poised for bright futures.Twenty-five years later, Delta, rece