McGranahan, James

Composer

b nr Adamsville, Penns, USA 1840, d Kinsman, Ohio, USA 1907. Within a limited formal education his musical skills (including a fine tenor voice) soon became apparent. He studied briefly at Wm Bradbury’s Music Sch in Geneseo, New York state, and began teaching at the age of 19. Sharing in music conventions and singing schools in his home state and in New York with J G Towner, he both studied and taught with George F Root. In 1875 he taught at the Normal Musical Institute in New York, and after the sudden death in 1877 of P P Bliss (qv), he took over the song leadership of Major Daniel Whittle’s evangelistic missions in the USA and UK, something of a pioneer in the use of men’s choirs. With Ira D Sankey (qv) and Geo Stebbins he edited and published many collections of gospel songs. No.782.