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 Pace
on

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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