From Deseret News archives:
Sacred-music writer spends 100th working on new songs
"If Christ Should Come Tomorrow," "They Found Him In The Temple," "I Walked In God's Garden," "God Knows," "My Mother's Prayer." These are among the Hart songs that have earned him a place in the hearts of sacred-music lovers everywhere.
In the mid-20th century, few people were writing more beloved songs than Hart. One of the first LDS songwriters to tap into the popular market, he laid the groundwork for the explosion that would come later.
His songs, including "He That Hath Clean Hands," "The Heavens Were Opened" and "The Missionary," were sung by Jessie Evans Smith, wife of LDS Church President Joseph Fielding Smith, among others, and were part of the standard repertoire of church choirs and soloists everywhere.
He has written more than 360 songs and he's not done yet.
If Hart shares a name with the famous drummer of the Grateful Dead, he shares longevity with legendary songwriter Irving Berlin. Hart turned 100 on December 28.
His "I Know God Lives!" is a tribute to LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. "I thought I better do one for President Hinckley," Hart says. After all, not only has Hart dedicated songs to other LDS church presidents, but he knew President Hinckley's father, Bryant S. Hinckley, when they were both living in Chicago.
That was when Hart was studying at the Chicago Music College and where the elder Hinckley was an LDS mission president. How Hart ended up in Chicago is just one of many interesting stories he tells.
Born in Preston, Idaho, he began to study music only because a piano teacher ran up a $6 debt with his father. The teacher worked it off in piano lessons, at 35 cents a session.
Hart loved music, despite the fact that "my fingers were too short to really hit the keys. I could only do fifths." It might have slowed him down a bit, but it didn't stop him.
He attended the Agriculture College in Logan, as Utah State University was known in those days. (And he later wrote "Hail The Utah Aggies," the school's official fight song.)
Recent comments
It's on the album Bless This House With MTCh
Anonymous | Oct. 4, 2009 at 12:10 p.m.
May I too add my name to those listed to also obtain the song Sister...
I.D. Sessions | March 22, 2009 at 9:20 p.m.
Mine is the same as "Harper - June 7, 2008" -- Is there any way to...
Jeanne | July 12, 2008 at 5:22 p.m.
- Wolverine women win; Griffins lose 12:37 a.m.
- Photo: The Butler drilled it 12:37 a.m.
- Same old story for Jazz 12:35 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 12:32 a.m.
- NASA workers worried about future 12:31 a.m.
- Shuttle begins new mission Monday 12:31 a.m.
- Young Buck scores 55 in victory 12:30 a.m.
- Frogs shut down MWC's top rusher 12:29 a.m.
- Costly mistakes doomed Utes 12:28 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 12:27 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- D-Will home for daughter
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Crash on snowy road kills woman
- Born of water and the spirit
- GameDay in Fort Worth
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - BYU happy to escape with victory
194 - Senators want food tax restored
166 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - TCU plows past Utes, 55-28
134 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
106
Singer Thurl "Big T" Bailey, formerly of the Utah Jazz, will perform a...
So Great!!! So Proud - Love RSL - Bring Home The CUP!!!!!
mr cannon's bold assertation that the purpose of the first ammendemnt as...
Great great great game!!!! Nicky Rimando is a god! We're the most complete...
I had the game on DVR and just watched it. That was the most exciting game...
financially cannot this year, but I will watch loyally, how great to hear...
This is hardly surprising. Bennett has a remarkable arrogance which is also...
I guess that is why "they play the game" as Herman Edwards would say.. ...
What was the score of the LSU vs LA tech game? Alot closer than you'd like to...
Has Fedor not said that THIS IS OUR YEAR all year long? Go back and...
This is just a small glimpse of the future with Obamacare: corruption, waste...



