Son-Of-A-Preacher Man (arr. Berty Rice): SSA Choral Octavo

Berty Rice's arrangement captures the swagger and sophistication of Springfield's original without overwhelming an SSA ensemble. The chart respects the song's groove while remaining accessible for high school singers, giving them a taste of authentic soul phrasing in a contemporary pop context.

Confident and sultry. The arrangement pulses with understated cool, grounded in a strong rhythmic foundation while the melody floats with knowing sass. It's the sound of a singer who owns the stage.

SSA and SSAA choirs seeking repertoire that sounds current and has genuine musical substance. High school and community choirs benefit from material that meets singers where their ears are while developing awareness of soul music's compositional and performance traditions.

• Establish the rhythmic pocket early in rehearsal by having singers feel the backbeat rather than leading from the downbeat; this song lives in the space between the pulse.
• Layer in the background vocals gradually so the lead line stays prominent but supported; avoid oversinging the responses.
• Embrace the slight swagger in the phrasing that separates this from straight pop singing, particularly in how vowels sit on syncopated passages.

Place this in a pop or contemporary-music set where it can anchor a concert section built around soul and R&B influenced material. The 13 pages make it substantial enough to anchor a set but not so extended that it demands a full suite of similar styles around it.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated pop and soul idioms
• Sustaining a groove while singing multiple harmonic layers
• Vocal phrasing that balances swing and precision
• Responding musically to a strong rhythmic accompaniment