Daniel Brink Towner

Daniel Brink Towner was an American gospel-song composer, singer, conductor, teacher, and hymnal compiler. Born in Rome, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 1850, he received his earliest musical training from his father, who directed singing schools, and later studied with prominent American church musicians including George F. Root and George J. Webb. He held music-director posts at Methodist Episcopal churches in Binghamton, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Covington, Kentucky.

In 1885 Towner entered evangelistic music work, serving as a baritone soloist and conductor in campaigns associated with Dwight L. Moody and other evangelists. Moody Bible Institute appointed him head of its music department in 1893, and he remained there until 1919. His teaching helped professionalize the preparation of gospel singers and church musicians during a formative period in American evangelical music.

Towner was credited with more than two thousand gospel-song tunes and was connected with fourteen song collections. Representative settings include TRUST AND OBEY, ANYWHERE WITH JESUS, AT CALVARY, and MOODY. His work joined memorable congregational melodies to the evangelistic texts of writers such as John H. Sammis, Jessie B. Pounds, William R. Newell, and Julia H. Johnston. Towner died on October 3, 1919, while traveling in Missouri and was buried in Chicago.