Austin C. Lovelace (1919-2010) was called by many the Dean of American Church music. Over many years he worked at a number of Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Colorado, North Carolina, Illinois, and Nebraska. He also worked at Union Theological Seminary in N.Y.C. and Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. He traveled widely as a Director of Music for general conferences, lecturer, and consultant. He was the organist for the Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1954. He was a prolific writer and composer with over 700 compositions for church in print, as well as numerous articles and books on church hymnody.

Dr. Lovelace was born in Rutherford Co., N.C. in 1919. He received his A.B. from High Point College in 1939, and his M.S.M. (1941) and D.S.M. (1950) from the School of Sacred Music, Union Theological Seminary, in New York City. He was a Fellow of the Hymn Society of America and a Past President as well.