Located just a few miles from today’s modern city* of Milton Keynes, Olney was home to John Newton (1725-1807) a retired sea captain and, for much of his life, an active participant in the transatlantic slave trade. John Newton - engraving by Joseph Collyer But before we examine just a few of the many and varied versions which followed Judy’s recording, we must travel back 250 years to the small English town of Olney in Buckinghamshire. In the modern era (if we can refer to the 1970s as such), it was probably Judy Collins who prompted the scramble to record “Amazing Grace” with her ethereal 1971 hit single. This caused huge resentment and within a year Price left the Animals to pursue a solo career. Without their knowledge keyboardist Alan Price had named himself as the arranger, thus receiving a higher royalty rate than the other members. When the single was released the band were nonplussed to see the song credited “Trad.
One notable example occurred in 1964 when the Animals recorded the traditional song “House of the Rising Sun,” turning it into the first worldwide folk-rock hit. This neat fiscal loophole occasionally proved contentious, however. Although Joplin's 44 ragtime works didn't enter the public domain until years later, the rush to cover his music began here.īest of all, the arranger of a traditional piece (usually the performer) could then be credited and receive mechanical and performance royalties.
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In addition, at a time when people still bought physical sheet music in great numbers, any publisher was free to print and sell their own arrangement of the words and music, and very many did.Ī similar thing happened in 1973 when The Sting movie, set in 1936, revived interest in ragtime piano in general and the music of Scott Joplin in particular. That meant anyone could record “Amazing Grace” in any style they saw fit without paying composer or publishing royalties. It was because “Amazing Grace” was not protected by copyright.Īny piece of music published before 1925 is now in the public domain and exclusive intellectual property rights (usually) do not apply. But one of the key reasons we saw so many versions around the world in such a short period of time was a little less romantic. There’s nothing like the combination of country and gospel music.But why did a 250-year-old hymn suddenly become ubiquitous? It’s a timeless, almost perfect melody, of course, and in America the song had long been linked with the Vietnam anti-war movement and civil rights in general. There’s nothing like the combination of country and gospel music. Then, she adds in her stunning vocals to give this hymn a hauntingly beautiful sound. She starts off the song with just the sound of her violin. This Grammy award-winning performer is the perfect voice to complement these powerful words of praise. Today, Alison Krauss is belting out the lyrics of ‘Amazing Grace’ during at live performance at the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert. After surviving the weather, John started his life as a Christian and dedicated himself to serving our Father. But one day, he found himself caught in a terrible storm.Īfter hours at the helm of the ship, his thoughts turned to God. As a sailor, John was known for his crude language and actions. It served as a measure of thanks to the Lord for giving him new life. This iconic hymn was written by John Newton. Throughout the years, it has touched so many hearts and provided love and comfort in times of need. This classic song may be the most popular hymn of all time.
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