American Latter Day Saint hymnwriters

A. Laurence Lyon (1934–2006) was a composer of music, usually sacred music with a Latter-day Saint theme. He also served for 30 years as a professor at Western Oregon University.Lyon was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands where his father, T. Edgar Lyon was serving as president of the Netherlands Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).Lyon created his first composition at 12. He was first called as an organist for a congregation of the LDS Church when he was 16 years old. That same year, he wrote and premiered a sextet for brass and woodwinds at Granite High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served as a LDS Church missionary in the Netherlands Mission, and organized and directed the choir from that mission that sang at the dedication of the Swiss Temple. In 1958 he married Donna Reeder in the Salt Lake Temple.After his mission, Lyon received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music.From 1967 until 1997, Lyon was a professor of music at Western Oregon University. He was also president of Modern Music Methods, a publisher of string music for children.Lyon has been involved with the music for many LDS Church temple dedications. He wrote an arrangement of "The Morning Breaks" specifically for the dedication of the Oakland California Temple and directed choirs that performed at the dedications of the Portland Oregon Temple and the Seattle Washington Temple.Lyon served on multiple occasions in LDS bishoprics and on stake high councils. He was a member of the General Sunday School board in 1967 and of the general church music committee from 1985-1993. From 1999 until 2000, he and his wife served as missionaries in the Chile Osorno Mission.Two of Lyon's works are included in the 1985 edition of the LDS Church hymnbook. They are "Each Life That Touches Ours For Good" and "Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah." He also wrote seven works in the Primary Children's Songbook.Over 200 arrangements and compositions by Lyon were published. Many of his choral and organ works were featured on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's weekly broadcasts. Among his works was the oratorio "Visions of Light and Truth," which was commissioned by BYU-Idaho.

Willy Julius Reske (September 25, 1897 – September 17, 1991) was a noted organist and composer. He wrote the music to several LDS hymns, two of which are in the current edition of the hymn book of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Lorin Farrar Wheelwright (December 20, 1909 – November 4, 1987) was an American Latter-day Saint hymnwriter, composer, musical instructor and educator.

Naomi Harriet Ward Randall (October 5, 1908 – May 17, 2001) was a Latter-day Saint songwriter and author and a leader in the Primary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In 1957, Randall wrote the lyrics to "I Am a Child of God", an LDS Church hymn that was originally written as a song for children.
Randall served as a member of the general board of the Primary Association for 27 years. As a member of the board, she was asked to write a song for children that would teach them the LDS Church beliefs on the nature of a child's relationship with God. The result was "I Am a Child of God", which has been published in over 90 languages. Randall also wrote the lyrics to "When Faith Endures", which is hymn #128 in the LDS Church hymnal.
Randall was a frequent contributor to The Children's Friend and was the chair of the Primary committee that created the CTR ring. From 1970 and 1974, Randall was the first counselor to LaVern W. Parmley in the general presidency of the Primary.
On October 13, 1998, Randall was awarded a Presidential Citation by Brigham Young University president Merrill J. Bateman for her lifelong service to the children of the LDS Church.Naomi Harriet Ward was born in North Ogden, Utah. She was married to Earl A. Randall and was the mother of one child. Naomi Randall died due to advanced age in La Mesa, California.

Elizabeth Fetzer Bates (March 30, 1909 – November 20, 1999) was an American Latter-day Saint musician, most noted for being the author of the children's songs "Book of Mormon Stories" and "Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked".