Keith Getty
1974– · Northern Ireland · Contemporary
Keith Getty was born in 1974 in Dromore, County Down, Northern Ireland, and demonstrated exceptional musical gifts from an early age. He studied music formally and developed a deep grounding in classical composition, folk traditions of Ireland, and the historic Reformed tradition of congregational psalmody and hymnody. These diverse influences converge in his compositional voice, which seeks to wed melodic accessibility with theological depth in the tradition of the great English hymn writers. Getty's career was transformed by his collaboration with Irish poet and lyricist Stuart Townend, which produced 'In Christ Alone' in 2001. The hymn became one of the most widely sung new congregational songs of the early twenty-first century, appearing in hymnals across Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Baptist, and Catholic traditions with remarkable speed. Getty and Townend continued their partnership across several albums and collections, establishing a recognizable aesthetic that self-consciously positioned itself against the perceived theological thinness of much contemporary praise music. Getty subsequently established a creative partnership with his wife Kristyn Getty, a singer and lyricist, and together they have produced an extensive catalog of hymns and worship songs through their imprint Getty Music. He has been a leading advocate for what he terms 'modern hymns'—new compositions that employ traditional strophic structures, rich doctrinal content, and singable congregational melodies. The annual Sing! Conference, which Getty co-founded and hosts in Nashville, Tennessee, has become an influential gathering for church musicians across evangelical and Reformed traditions. Getty's work has been particularly significant in renewing interest in congregational singing as a theological act rather than merely an emotional or aesthetic experience. He holds honorary doctorates and continues to compose, record, and advocate globally for robust hymnody.