Stuart Townend (musician)

Stuart Townend (born 1963) is an English Christian worship leader and writer of hymns and contemporary worship music. His songs include "In Christ Alone", (2002, co-written with Keith Getty, Townend's first collaboration with any other songwriter),[1][2] "How Deep The Father's Love For Us", "Beautiful Saviour" and "The King of Love".[3] As of 2008, Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) lists "In Christ Alone" in its Top 25 CCLI Songs list.

Stuart Townend
Townend in October 2008
Background information
Born1963 (age 57–58)
OriginWest Yorkshire, England
GenresContemporary Christian music, hymns, contemporary worship music
Occupation(s)Songwriter, worship leader, music publishing executive
InstrumentsVocals, piano, guitar
LabelsKingsway
Websitewww.stuarttownend.co.uk

Career

Townend, son of a Church of England vicar in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire has three older siblings.[3] His father, Rev. John Townend, was vicar of Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge from 1974 until his death in a motor accident in 1985.[4] Townend started learning to play the piano at age 7.[5] At the age of 13, he made a Christian commitment, and began songwriting at age 22.[5] He studied literature at the University of Sussex.[3]

At university, he met Caroline, whom he married in 1988. They now have three children; Joseph, Emma and Eden.

Townend has led worship and performed events across the world at many conferences and festivals, including the Stoneleigh Bible Week in the early 1990s to the early 2000s, Together On A Mission, Mandate, Mission:Worship, Keswick Convention, Spring Harvest and many more. He has also featured on Songs of Praise and worked alongside other high-profile Christian musicians including Keith Getty, Lou Fellingham and Phatfish.

In 2005, Cross Rhythms magazine described Townend as "one of the most significant songwriters in the whole international Christian music field".[3] The Christian website Crosswalk.com commented, "the uniqueness of Townend’s writing lies partly in its lyrical content. There is both a theological depth and poetic expression that some say is rare in today’s worship writing".[1]

Honours

In June 2017, he was awarded the Cranmer Award for Worship by the Archbishop of Canterbury "for his outstanding contribution to contemporary worship music".[6]

Discography

Audio
  • Classical Praise Piano: Come Holy Spirit (1995)
  • Say the Word (1997)
  • Personal Worship (2001)
  • Lord of Every Heart (2002)
  • Monument to Mercy (2006)
  • The Best of Stuart Townend Live (2007)
  • There is a Hope (live) (2008)
  • Creation Sings (2009)
  • The Journey (2011)
  • Ultimate Collection (2012)
  • The Paths of Grace (2014)
  • The Best of Stuart Townend Live, Volume 2 (2015)
  • In Christ Alone: Songs of Stuart Townend & Keith Getty (2016)
  • Courage (2018)

Audio—featuring Townend

Video
  • There is a Hope (live) (DVD 2008)
  • Creation Sings (DVD 2009)

Video—featuring Townend
  • Mission:Worship—Just One Touch From The King (DVD 2007)
  • Worship From The Abbey (DVD 2007)
  • Phatfish—There Is A Day (DVD 2006)
  • Phatfish—Hope—Unplugged Live (VHS 2002)

With Keith Getty
  • The Apostles' Creed

References
  1. Debra Akins. "Song Story: "In Christ Alone"". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  2. In Christ Alone Songfacts
  3. Cummings, Tony (March 2005). "Confronting The Comfort Zones". Cross Rhythms (85).
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2015-10-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. . "Biography of Stuart Townend", BBC Religion and Ethics, 2004, accessed 1 May 2005
  6. "The Archbishop of Canterbury's Awards: Citations in Alphabetical Order" (PDF). Archbishop of Canterbury. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
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