Jimmy Owens, Christian Music Pioneer, Passes Away

Christian music pioneer Jimmy Owens passed away peacefully in his home on Sunday. He was 93.  

His son, Buddy Owens, writes, "All the music from the hundreds of songs that flowed from his pen and spread across the nations for the past 93 years was simply a prelude to the new song of praise he is singing to his Savior . . . bursting from his soul at the moment his soul was birthed from his weary body . . . an eternal melody that he has never heard before . . . but is so deeply familiar.

"We will see him again someday, resplendent, glorious, eternal. The Bible promises, `The man who does the will of God will live forever' (1 John 2:17). I think my dad was the man God had in mind when he told John to write those words."

Jmmy and Carol Owens were pioneers of Contemporary Christian Music. Their musical praise and prayer presentations Come Together, If My People and Heal Our Land have impacted nations. Dramatic musicals-Show Me!, The Glory of Christmas and The Witness-have brought thousands to Christ. The classic musical for children, Ants'hillvania, written with Cherry Boone O'Neill, was both a Grammy and a Dove Award Finalist as best recording for children. Ants'hillvania II: The Honeydew Adventure, and the Bee Attitudes albums have taught God's character and ways to multitudes of enthusiastic kids.

The Owens's book, Restoring a Nation's Foundations, targeted for American intercessors, has also been adapted for the United Kingdom under the title Heal Our Land, to accompany the national prayer campaign there.

Their God Songs: How to Write and Select Songs for Worship, co-authored by Paul Baloche, was given the WorshipMusic.com Book of the Year Award in 2005.

Jimmy and Carol received the Christian Artists' Music Achievement Award in 1986. Jimmy was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame in 2001.

Jimmy and Carol Owens founded SMMI in 1991, inspiring and instructing thousands of Christian musicians and artists around the world in various aspects of Christian music ministry.

Jimmy and Carol have been married since 1954. Both of their children are in ministry: Jamie Owens Collins is a well-known recording artist, songwriter and speaker. Buddy Owens is an author and a Teaching Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.

 

 

 

 

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