Mormon music
Encyclopedia
- This article deals with music's role in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outside of the context of worship; for hymns, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymnsThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymnsThis article is about LDS church hymns in general, for the book, see Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter-day Saint hymns come from many sources, and there have been numerous hymn books printed by the Church since its organization in 1830...
or for the hymnal Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official hymn book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
Music has had a long history in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from the days in Kirtland, Nauvoo, and the settlement of the West, to the present day. In the early days of the Church, stripped-down Mormon folk music, which could be sung without accompaniment due to the lack of instruments in Utah, was popular. In the 19th Century, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
was created and began touring, while musicians began writing devotional and praise music with a Mormon influence, paralleling the success of Christian Contemporary Music. Several organizations have existed and do exist to promote these artists, such as Deseret Book and the now-defunct Faith-centered Music Association. Starting in the late 20th century and to the present day, Mormons have been increasingly involved in modern popular music in America and elsewhere in the World.
Mormon folk music
Mormon folk music constituted some of the earliest white/euroamericanCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
music in the boundaries of modern Utah. These songs, simple and easy to remember, were usually sung without accompaniment because of the scarcity of musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
s in territorial Utah
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. Although they often employed the same tunes as folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
elsewhere, Mormon folk is distinctively Utahn. The songs often include unique pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
-era Mormon culture references such as crossing the plains, Mormon ecclesiastical leaders, and LDS religious convictions. Hymns and other folk music were used to lift the spirits of all the saints along their treacherous journey known as the Mormon Trail. They are still used as praises or prayers to their Heavenly Father as well as a way to welcome comfort, peace and guidance from the Holy Ghost who they try to keep as a constant companion.
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Since 1847, the Latter-day Saint influence in Utah music is manifest in the state’s most famous musical institution: The Mormon Tabernacle ChoirMormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
. Named after the Salt Lake Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
on Temple Square
Temple Square
Temple Square is a ten acre complex located in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In recent years, the usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities immediately adjacent to Temple Square...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, the 300+ member choir is world-famous. The LDS Church supports the choir both for prestige and as a proselytizing tool for spreading familiarity of the church. The choir performs at least weekly at the Tabernacle for a radio program
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
called "Music and the Spoken Word
Music and the Spoken Word
Music and the Spoken Word is a weekly 30-minute radio and television program of inspiring messages and music produced by Bonneville Communications with music performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir .The radio program is distributed by the CBS Radio Network and its broadcast center is KSL...
" which is the longest-running national radio program in the US. The Mormon Tabernacle choir has released innumerable albums since it first recorded in 1910.
LDS-themed popular music
Beginning in the 1960s, gospel musicGospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
gained some success, and Mormons played an integral role in the development of Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) into the 1970s. Since then, Michael McLean
Michael McLean (composer)
Michael McLean is an American composer, singer, author, and filmmaker based in Heber City, Utah.-Early life:McLean attended high school in the Chicago area...
from Heber, Utah
Heber, Utah
Heber City is a city in Wasatch County, Utah, United States. The population was 7,297 at the 2000 census. Heber City was founded by English emigrants who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1850s, and is named after the Mormon apostle Heber C. Kimball. It is...
and Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope (musician)
Kenneth Cope is a composer and performer of religious music geared towards Latter Day Saints. His first album, Heaven — Don't Miss It For The World, was released in February 1988...
in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
have become relatively popular among mostly-older Latter-day Saints for their religiously-charged easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music. Music for LDS worship services is generally traditional with minimal accompaniment with piano or organ, so these musicians perform in venues other than in LDS worship services. In the 2010 and 2011, repectively, Jenny Oaks Baker
Jenny Oaks Baker
Jenny Oaks Baker is an American violinist. She was a first violinist in the National Symphony Orchestra for seven years. She has released nine studio albums.-Music career:Jenny Oaks Baker first began playing the violin at age four...
and Hillary Weeks became popular contemporary Mormon-themed inspirational recording artists.
Especially For Youth albums
Each year various artist from LDS Music are featured on an annual album called Especially for YouthEspecially for Youth
Especially For Youth is a week long youth-oriented seminar focused on fellowship and teaching the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
(EFY), that is produced for a summer youth camp sponsored by Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
but are held at many universities across the United States. Several producers bid for the album on a 2-year cycle. The producer for the album is usually decided by EFY executive J.D. Hucks, a senior administrator for the Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
's Youth & Family Programs.
From 1998–Present the EFY album producer roll has been bouncing back and forth between the production duo Tyler Castleton & Staci Peters and their competitor Jim Funk & Barry Gibbons, making it difficult for independent artist and producers to participate with the album production.
The EFY album has received criticism over the last decade for being "out of touch" with its targeted audience of youth ages 14–18.
But that also depends on who you talk to. While the albums might be youth-orientated and were created to be given to youth at EFY camp, they were also intended to be wonderful and uplifting appropriate for any age. Many saints enjoy the peaceful music with a modern twist in their homes daily as a way of inviting the Holy Ghost and making the day feel more reverent. Also, Deseret Book has written on their website that "Perhaps no other collection of albums has sold better to the youth over the last decade than the EFY albums released every summer."
The EFY albums in the last decade are:
- The Courage to Stand Strong (2010)
- Be Thou an Example (2009)
- Steady and Sure (2008)
- Power in Purity (2007)
- The Greatest Gift (2006)
- A More Excellent Way (2005)
- Stand in the Light (2004)
- Look and Live (2003)
- We Believe (2002)
- Remember The Promise (2001)
- Forward with Faith (2000)
Faith-centered Music Association
Every year, the Faith-centered Music Association rewards excellence in music with the Pearl Awards, which are given in a number of different categories.Over the last few years the FCMA which is run by senior management at Deseret Book
Deseret Book
Deseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book publisher and also owns a chain of LDS bookstores in the western United States. Over 150 people work in its Salt Lake City headquarters...
has been viewed as a way to "pat themselves on the back." Many if not all projects that are nominated and receive awards, are published by Deseret Book
Deseret Book
Deseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book publisher and also owns a chain of LDS bookstores in the western United States. Over 150 people work in its Salt Lake City headquarters...
.
In 2010, the FCMA decided to take an indefinite hiatus from workshops and the Pearl Awards. In a letter to the general public, the FCMA stated that it had grown too large of an organization and tried to accommodate too many recommendations and criticisms to continue.
In mainstream popular music
There are numerous artists active in the secular music world who are LDS, but do not write devotional or praise-style music. Prominent examples include Donny OsmondDonny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
, Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk is the guitarist and vocalist for American band Low.-Biography:George Alan Sparhawk was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Utah. He met Mimi Parker when he was 9, after his family moved to Minnesota. Sparhawk began writing his own compositions around the age of 13...
and Mimi Parker of Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
, Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
of The Killers, Dan Truman of Diamond Rio and many past and present members of The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
and Neon Trees
Neon Trees
Neon Trees is an American alternative rock band from Provo, Utah, with origins in Murrieta, California. The band received nationwide exposure in late 2008 when they opened several North American tour dates for the rock band The Killers. Not long after, the band was signed by Mercury Records and...
. There have been efforts to expand the umbrella of "Mormon Music" to encompass all Latter-day Saints who write or perform music, reflecting an increasing frustration with institutions like Deseret Book that confine their musical offerings to a very narrow view of what Mormon Music is. In particular, the blog Linescratchers has interviewed and compiled a list of many artists who fit this description.