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E. O. Excell

1851 - 1921 Person Name: Edwin O. Excell Author of "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" Edwin Othello Excel USA 1851-1921. Born at Uniontown, OH, he started working as a bricklayer and plasterer. He loved music and went to Chicago to study it under George Root. He married Eliza Jane “Jennie” Bell in 1871. They had a son, William, in 1874. A member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he became a prominent publisher, composer, song leader, and singer of music for church, Sunday school, and evangelistic meetings. He founded singing schools at various locations in the country and worked with evangelist, Sam Jones, as his song leader for two decades. He established a music publishing house in Chicago and authored or composed over 2,000 gospel songs. While assisting Gypsy Smith in an evangelistic campaign in Louisville, KY, he became ill, and died in Chicago, IL. He published 15 gospel music books between 1882-1925. He left an estate valued at $300,000. John Perry

John R. Sweney

1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[Jesus is a Friend of mine]" in The Wells of Salvation John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy. Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker. Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission

Emily R. Brink

b. 1940 Arranger of "[Jesus is a friend of mine]" in Songs for Life Emily R. Brink is a Senior Research Fellow of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Adjunct Professor of Church Music and Worship at Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her main areas of responsibility are conference planning and global resources. She is program manager of the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship, which draws more than 70 presenters and 1600 participants from around the world. She also travels widely to lecture and to learn about worship in different parts of the world, especially in Asia, where she has lectured in Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. Her areas of interest include congregational song from all times and places; psalmody; hymnal editing. She was editor of four hymnals and consults with a wide range of churches on worship renewal issues. Dr. Brink is active in the American Guild of Organists, serving in both local and national offices, as well as in the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada (president from 1990 1992) and named a Fellow of the Hymn Society in 2004 in recognition of distinguished services to hymnody and hymnology. --internal.calvinseminary.edu/

George Orlia Webster

1866 - 1942 Person Name: George O. Webster Author of "Is He Yours"

Kenneth Fulkerson

Author of "O What a Friend Is He"

William A. McKinney

Person Name: W. A. McK. Author of "Where He Leads I'll Go" in Special Radio Selections

Helen Elizabeth Fromm

Author of "My Friend"

Don M. Allen

1910 - 2010 Person Name: D. M. A. Author of "Jesus Is a Friend Of Mine" in Mount Hermon Melodies, book two Mr. Allen played piano for services at the Seaside Baptist Church near Monterey, California in the early 1970s. He was a prolific composer. He also taught piano and organ, and was an encouragement to his students. Dianne Shapiro

Paul Mazak

Author of "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" in Songs for Life

Arlene Barnes

1894 - 1997 Person Name: Arlene L. Barnes Author of "My Friend" in Songs of Heaven Arlene L. Barnes established herself as a songwriter working with Ruth Crawford and the Young People's Chuch of the Air. Dianne Shapiro