Jan Pennington was the only child born into a musical family. She played many instruments including ukelele, piano, clarinet, and guitar. At the age of 10, Carol McClure loaned her a harp and gave her lessons. She bought her first harp at age 12. She competed and won at numerous Scottish Games. Jan played her harp for the patients at Memorial Hospital and soon became a member of their staff. In her own words, "Where can you find a job where you know you are helping people so much!" 

Her parents describe her as energetic, inquisitive, and ambitious who had a love for animals, plants (a degree in botany), and the elderly. She married the love of her life at the age of 28. Six months later, she was stricken with an illness that quickly claimed her life. She was surrounded by loved ones in the very hospital that she had spent countless hours ministering to patients through her harp. 

Jan is gone, but not forgotten. Her parents, Jo and Jim Pennington, created JPG Harp Connections (formerly known as Jan Pennington Gray Harp Scholarship Fund) to continue the harp connections that Jan began. First, scholarships were given to support worthy harpists who applied. In 2001, the first annual JPG Harp Confab provided education to harpists around the country. In 2005, the Chattanooga Harp Ensemble was created to inspire harpists to gather regularly and play together. In 2015, JPG Harp Connections through Chattanooga Harp Ensemble began participating in Music for Healing through Martha Summa-Chadwick, a JPG Harp Connections Board Director. We continue to look for new ways to inspire, educate and support harpists.

2025 Board of Directors

Jody Burch, Director

Jeanne Eller, Director

Deborah Hammock, Director

Donna Holcomb, Director

Lynn Petras, Director

Sue Powell, Treasure

Martha Summa-Chadwick, Director

James W. Pennington, Founder

Beverly Inman-Ebel, Immediate Past President