A podcast for discussing hymns, spirituals, carols, and metrical psalms, their histories, and their intersections with other genres.
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Dr. Stephen M. Newby of Baylor University discusses his book Soon and Very Soon: The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch, his new Symphony No. 2: Ode to Andraé, his involvement with the Black Gospel Archive at Baylor, and the choral anthem series he is editing for OCP Publications.
Dr. Garrett discusses the musical lives of John and Charles Wesley, including their contemporaries George Frideric Handel, John Frederick Lampe, Thomas Arne, Jonathan Battishill, and Henry Purcell, and their hymn tunes.
Kevin talks about the new Indelible Grace album, including new and returning personnel, the long delay since the last studio album, his vast network of musical friends, the merits of hymn writer Anne Steele, and what to expect for the second half of this two-part release.
Record collector and former radio host Steve Krampitz talks about the music and careers of Bill and Gloria Gaither, especially their song “Because He Lives,” and his personal interactions with them.
Excerpts from Chris Fenner’s appearance on the Sande Rose radio show in Detroit, with co-hosts Teresa Acton and Richard Nichols. Chris answers burning questions: What is a hymn? Why is hymnology important? Why is African American hymnology important? Does hymnology include living composers? Chris also talks about his connection to the establishment of the music program at Hampton University.
D.J. Bulls is worship and communications minister at Glenwood Church, Tyler, Texas, choir director at Tyler Legacy High School, and owner of fearless4you music. In this episode, we discuss his favorite hymn, “Be with me, Lord, I cannot live without thee,” by Thomas Chisholm and Lloyd Sanderson, his current approach as a church music director, his work on Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today, especially his setting of Psalm 123, and his massive hymnal collection.
Musician and hymn writer Dan Damon talks about his latest album, Needed Time: Spirituals (a collaboration with bassist Kurt Ribak), and his previous album, I Offer You My Life: A Tribute to Ruth Duck (a collaboration with Felicia Patton).
Gospel composer and musician A. Jeffrey LaValley shares the story behind his best-known song, “Revelation 19:1 (Hallelujah, salvation and glory),” speaks to his adaptation of “The Lord is my light and my salvation” by Lillian Bouknight, and talks about the role of hymns in his life, especially in relation to his album Hymns (2016).
The longtime music director and pastor of Trinity All Nations Church in Chicago talks about his music and his legacy, including his songs “I’ve got a feeling everything’s gonna be alright” and “Are You Ready,” recorded with Albertina Walker and James Cleveland.
In this episode, we explore the long recorded history of “Precious memories,” starting with the original version by John B.F. Wright, then the gospel choir adaptation by Roberta Martin and Georgia Jones. Includes performances by the McDonald Quartette (1932), the Roberta Martin Singers with Norsalus McKissick (1947), four evolving approaches to the song by Rosetta Tharpe (1947, 1956, 1964, 1968), culminating in the performance by Aretha Franklin and James Cleveland (1972).
Dan Kreider is music director at Grace Immanuel Bible Church and founder of HymnWorks, which produces hymnals. Together we discuss one of his favorite hymns (“Faith of our fathers, taught of old”), he explains how he got started in hymnal publishing, he discusses his work on the Getty Music Sing! Hymnal, and he describes his newest project called American Hymnody.
Filipino-Canadian pastor Brian Najapfour joins me to discuss the life and hymns of British pastor Joseph Hart.
Chris Fenner discusses the life and musical works of early American composer William Billings with guest Dr. Leonard Raybon (Tulane University), including Dr. Raybon’s choral arrangements of hymns, and his work on the Sacred Nine Project.
Chris Fenner talks with Sam Rose about their backgrounds in singing hymns, and they discuss a couple of their favorite hymns, “Be thou my vision” and “My shepherd will supply my name.”
