Adger M. Pace (August 13, 1882 - February 12, 1959) was an American hymn writer, music performer and teacher. He (co-)wrote close to 4,000
Southern gospel
Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...
shape note
Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteh ...
songs, including ''Jesus Is All I Need'', ''My Father Answers Prayers'', ''Beautiful Star of Bethlehem'', and ''Peace, Sweet Peace''.
Early life
Pace was born on August 13, 1882.
He had two brothers and three sisters.
Career
Pace was hired by
James David Vaughan
James David Vaughan (December 14, 1864 – February 9, 1941) was an American music teacher, composer, song book publisher, the founder of the Vaughan Conservatory of Music and the James D. Vaughan Publishing Company.
Biography
Vaughan was b ...
as the music editor of his publishing company, the James D. Vaughan Publishing Company.
Pace also taught at the Vaughan School of Music in Lawrenceburg, where one of his students was
Ottis J. Knippers, a singer-songwriter who served as a judge and a member of the
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.
Constitutional requirements
According to the state constitution of 1870, this body is to consis ...
.
Pace authored two musical textbooks.
Pace was also a music performer. In 1917, he joined the Vaughan Saxophone Quartet with Joe Allen, Ira Foust and
William Burton Walbert
William Burton Walbert (May 18, 1886 – December 2, 1959) was an American Southern gospel songwriter, singer, composer, and editor. He (co-)wrote many songs, and he was the director of the Vaughan School of Music in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.
E ...
.
From 1923 to the 1930s, Pace was a member of the Vaughan Radio Quartet, a band whose members included Walbert, Hilman Barnard and
Otis Leon McCoy
Otis Leon McCoy (February 17, 1897 – March 27, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter and music teacher. He was the president of Tennessee Music and Printing, the publishing company of the Church of God, and he wrote hundreds of Southern gosp ...
.
Over the course of his career, he co-wrote nearly 4,000 Southern gospel songs, including ''Jesus Is All I Need'', ''My Father Answers Prayers'', ''The Homecoming Week'', ''Beautiful Star of Bethlehem'', ''The Glad Reunion Day'', ''Keep Holding On'', ''The Happy Jubilee'', and ''Peace, Sweet Peace''.
With
Benjamin Franklin White
Benjamin Franklin White (September 20, 1800 – December 5, 1879) was a shape note " singing master", and compiler of the shape note tunebook known as ''The Sacred Harp''. He was born near Cross Keys in Union County, South Carolina, the twelfth c ...
, he co-wrote ''Lone Pilgrim''.
Personal life, death and legacy
Pace married Johnnie Ryals. They had two sons and a daughter. They resided at 622 North Military Avenue in
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
The city of Lawrenceburg is the county seat of Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States, The largest city on the state's southern border between Chattanooga and Memphis, it lies on the banks of Shoal Creek. The population was 11,633 at the 20 ...
.
Pace died of a stroke on February 12, 1959, in Lawrenceburg, at age 76.
His piano is at the James D. Vaughan Memorial Museum in Lawrenceburg.
Selected works
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References
External links
Adger McDavid Paceon
Find a Grave
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pace, Adger M.
1882 births
1959 deaths
People from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
American Christian hymnwriters
American male songwriters
Shape note
Songwriters from Tennessee
Southern gospel performers
American music educators
American male non-fiction writers
20th-century male musicians