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==Early life and education== |
==Early life and education== |
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Born in [[Lindsborg, Kansas]], Peterson served as an [[Army Air Force]] pilot flying the ”[[The Hump|China Hump]]” during [[World War II]]. Later, he attended [[Moody Bible Institute]] and served on the radio staff there for a number of years. In 1953, he graduated from the [[American Conservatory of Music]] in Chicago and shortly thereafter settled in Pennsylvania to continue his songwriting career.<ref name=ArizonaRepublic>{{cite news | title=John W. Peterson | newspaper=Arizona Republic | date=29 September 2006 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2499293150 | access-date=13 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=Gale>{{cite book | chapter=John W. Peterson | title=Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors | publisher=Gale | year=2006 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000077748/LitRC | access-date=14 January 2026}}</ref> |
Born in [[Lindsborg, Kansas]], Peterson served as an [[Army Air Force]] pilot flying the ”[[The Hump|China Hump]]” during [[World War II]]. Later, he attended [[Moody Bible Institute]] and served on the radio staff there for a number of years. In 1953, he graduated from the [[American Conservatory of Music]] in Chicago and shortly thereafter settled in Pennsylvania to continue his songwriting career.<ref name=ArizonaRepublic>{{cite news | title=John W. Peterson | newspaper=Arizona Republic | date=29 September 2006 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2499293150 | access-date=13 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=Gale>{{cite book | chapter=John W. Peterson | title=Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors | publisher=Gale | year=2006 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000077748/LitRC | access-date=14 January 2026}}</ref> |
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==Career and ministry== |
==Career and ministry== |
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Latest revision as of 22:03, 14 January 2026
American songwriter (1921–2006)
John Willard Peterson (November 1, 1921 – September 20, 2006) was a songwriter who had a major influence on evangelical Christian music in the 1950s through the 1970s. He wrote over 1000 songs, and 35 cantatas.
Early life and education
[edit]
Born in Lindsborg, Kansas, Peterson served as an Army Air Force pilot flying the China Hump during World War II. Later, he attended Moody Bible Institute and served on the radio staff there, working for WMBI-FM for a number of years. In 1953, he graduated from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and shortly thereafter settled in Pennsylvania to continue his songwriting career.[1][2]
Career and ministry
[edit]
Peterson later moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where for over ten years he was President and Editor-in-Chief of Singspiration, a sacred music publishing company (now part of Universal Music Group, except for the choral music publishing division, which is now affiliated with Celebrating Grace, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-affiliated music publisher following UMG’s 2023 spinoff of choral music). While there, he compiled and edited the hymnal, Great Hymns of the Faith (1961), which included 47 of his compositions out of a total of 548.[3] He also served on the boards of Gospel Films, Inc. of Muskegon, Michigan and Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music.[1][2]
In 1970 Peterson moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where he co-founded Good Life Productions and later started John W. Peterson Music Company.[4][2]
Some of his more popular song titles include “It Took a Miracle” (1948), “Over the Sunset Mountains” (1953), “Heaven Came Down” (1961), “Springs of Living Water” (1950), “Surely Goodness and Mercy” (1958) and “O Glorious Love” (1970). His cantatas include Night of Miracles and Down From His Glory. He also composed the musical “Jesus is Coming”, arranged by Don Wyrtzen.[5]
He received the Sacred Music Award from the National Evangelical Film Foundation in 1967.[2] In 1986, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.[6]
Personal life and death
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In 1944 Peterson married Marie, and together they had three children. He died in Scottsdale, Arizona on September 20, 2006, aged 84, following a bout with prostate cancer.[1]
