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Draft:Jim and Jean Strathdee

  • Comment: Content like " Their music invites all who sing it into the love and sharing that can be found in following the Way of Jesus.' is clearly TOTALLY inappropriate for an encyclopaedia. Theroadislong (talk) 22:27, 22 December 2024 (UTC)

OK, it's gone. Advertising the religion of a billion people more than the article subjects. This conversation has scattered across several pages, perhaps I'm not replying in the right one.Justaxn (talk) 23:38, 22 December 2024 (UTC)


Jim Strathdee
Born (1941-05-09) May 9, 1941 (age 83)
Sacramento, California, US
Occupations
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
Years active1963 – present
Jean Strathdee
Born (1944-11-15) November 15, 1944 (age 80)
Lincoln, California, US
Occupations
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
Years active1971 – present

Jim and Jean Strathdee are American musicians working in the Methodist tradition of choral and congregational singing. Their songs include folk, rock, jazz and international accompanied with guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonica and African drums, resulting in a wide range of emotional diversity, from prayerful to playful.[1] "We look on our music as an enrichment to the old traditional hymns," Jim said.[2] "There should be something in there for everyone," Jean added. They like to get the audience singing along, even dancing in the aisles. That joyful spirit of ministry is central. As Jim said, "Our goal is to energize. Religion is how we all have to act together."[2] Jean is particularly known for her skill in teaching songs to crowds by using one hand to direct up and down the musical scale (example here[3] ).

Works

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The Strathdees represent an important part of the Christian folk genre,[1] focusing on "Christian roots—Social justice—Interfaith respect."[4] Open access to more than 100 sing-along videos is available for worship use in churches without skilled music leaders.[4] Their music has been published in hymnals and song books around the world,[5] including at least four compositions in each of these six:

We are simply asked to make gentle our bruised world. To be compassionate of all, including oneself. Then in the time left over to repeat the ancient tale and go the way of God's foolish ones.

Jim Strathdee [6]
  • New Wine (1969)[7] (13 selections)
  • Songs for a Gospel People (1986)[8] (8 selections)
  • Servir a Dios (1987)[9] (12 selections)
  • Chalice Hymnal (1995)[10] (4 selections)
  • Voices United (1996)[11] (10 selections)
  • The Faith We Sing (2000)[12] (4 selections)

Plus at least one in eight or more others. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

One database lists 20 texts and 29 tunes composed by Jim Strathdee.[1] The works appearing in the greatest number of hymnals include:

  • What does the Lord require of you (1986), in 11
  • I am the light of the world (1967),[22] in 7
  • In loving partnership (1983), in 5
  • Love the Lord your God (1991), in 5

Jim's tune POXON, composed in 1998 to accompany Shirley Erena Murray's "For One Great Peace," has been described as having the musical lightness of a simple folk tune through a rising sequence of mini-phrases in D major for guitar. [23] That simplicity makes the music — and the texts — accessible to the greatest number of people. It is included in 5 hymnals.[1]

Career

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The Strathdees have created, performed, and led worship music throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America[5] as well as in India, Palestine, and more.[citation needed] Their many appearances are described variously as workshops, conferences, and concerts and often serve as fundraisers for nonprofit groups. They describe the ensemble of their work as "ministry to the church-at-large."[24]

Jim Strathdee studied music at four universities in southern California during the 1960's, held paid and volunteer music positions at several churches, and performed across the United States. In 1963 he worked at Grand Canyon National Park and was choral director of the Community Church there. [25] He was guest artist and song leader at the 1963 National Baptist Student Convention. [26] In 1964, he organized youth at his father's southern California church to provide folk music in religious services; he toured the country with a group of 35, en route to performances at the New York World's Fair and the Democratic National Convention. [26] [27] [28]

In 1969 Jim adapted a poem by Howard Thurman, The Work of Christmas, and set it to music as I am the light of the world.[22] It is one of his most enduring works. [29] [30] From 1969 to 1977, Jim provided music resources for the National Conference of Christians and Jews.[31]

Also in 1969, Jim was commissioned by the United Methodist Church in southern California as a musical editor of the songbook New Wine to bring new dimensions to contemporary worship.[7] [31] [32] It has been described as a unique collection of multi-ethnic hymns, spirituals, and folk songs. [33] New Wine included new songs, new music for familiar ancient texts, songs in Hebrew and Latin, and the first publication of Light of the world. The collection invites singers to live into the Spirit, reborn in the Way of love.[7] It sold more than 60,000 copies through November 1971[33] and was followed in 1972 by New Wine II. [34]

Jim and Jean moved to Hawaii as newlyweds in 1971, where he worked for a year at Mid-Pacific Institute with chaplain and songwriter Jim Manley; Jim Strathdee taught music history and directed the choir and glee club.[33][35]

By 1973, Jim was touring extensively in Canada, sponsored by the Naramata Centre, a conference and educational center in British Columbia for the United Church of Canada. [36] [37] [38] [39] Jim first shared his music at Naramata in 1969, and it became the most constant and favorite of their venues every year after they began touring together in 1976.[35] In 1983 they were musicians in residence and worship music leaders during one of the two weeks of the Sixth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Vancouver, British Columbia.[5]

In 1974, they established their home base at Ridgecrest, California, where Jean had graduated high school. They formed a music recording and publishing company, Caliche Records/Desert Flower Music and directed music at the local United Methodist church. [40] [5] They provide free access to more than 100 sing-along videos for worship use in churches without skilled music leaders.

They first visited war-torn Nicaragua in 1985.[2] Jim said, "At home we worry about [trivialities]. They're forgiving each other for killing each other's family in the war, using bullets supplied by my government. We learned all about faith from them. It's been the biggest gift of all for us." They returned regularly and translated some of their music into Spanish.[9][15]

In 1990 they became the Music Directors for Saint Mark's United Methodist Church in Sacramento, California,[41] continuing there until 2006. They then worked again "in ministry to the church-at-large," and returned to St. Mark's in 2017 as Musicians in Residence.[24]

In early 1995 they were interviewed at length during a performance tour to nine churches in Canada, again supporting the Naramata Centre.[2] Their repertoire covers most forms of music, because they try to find the best of all worlds through their music. "We look on our music as an enrichment to the old traditional hymns," Jim said. "There should be something in there for everyone," Jean added. They like to get the audience singing along, even dancing in the aisles. That joyful spirit of ministry is central. As Jim said, "Our goal is to energize. Religion is how we all have to act together." Individuals need to "stand up and be counted" to transform the world through Jesus' Way of love.[2] The themes of New Wine were still obvious 25 years later.[7]

Personal life

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Jim Strathdee was born on May 9, 1941, in Sacramento, California, to Rev. Fred and Lorraine Strathdee, the first of their 3 children. His father served Methodist churches in southern California for over 50 years. [42] Jim began singing in church choirs at age fourteen and began directing at 16.[31][5] He graduated high school in Big Pine, California, in 1959. He studied music at the University of Redlands and Occidental College,[43] as well as the California State Universities at Northridge and Los Angeles.

Claudia Jean Stevens was born November 15, 1944, in Lincoln, California to Lewis "Steve" Stevens, later a U.S. Navy physicist, and Inez Ingersoll Stevens, a teacher and school principal, as the second of their three children. [44] [35] She attended public schools in Ridgecrest, California, completing high school there in 1961. She began playing piano at age 6, and by 12 she was the organist for Ridgecrest United Methodist Church.[31] She studied music and Latin American history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, then worked in the civil rights movement in Mississippi in the summer of 1965, learning nonviolence from Jim Lawson. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Chico State College in 1966 and a Master's degree in Education from Boston University in 1967.

Jim and Jean married in September 1971[33] and had three children.[2] Although only Jim's name is cited for much of their shared work, the creativity of two musicians in a long marriage cannot reasonably be assigned to only one.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Jim Strathdee". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Finlayson, Dave (4 March 1995). "The new hymns". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta. p. 20.
  3. ^ Strathdee, Jim. "What does the Lord require of you". Strathdee Music. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Welcome to our website!". Strathdee Music. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Jim Strathdee". The Canterbury dictionary of hymnology. Canterbury Press. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Quotes". Prayer&politiks. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Strathdee, Jim; Stringer, Nelson, eds. (1969). New Wine: Songs for celebration, volume 1. Lomita, California: New Wine Publications.
  8. ^ Songs for a gospel people: United Church of Canada hymn book supplement. Winfield, B.C.: Wood Lake Publishing. 1986.
  9. ^ a b Strathdee, Jim and Jean (1987). Servir a Dios. Managua, Nicaragua: Primera Iglesia Bautista de Managua.
  10. ^ Chalice Hymnal. St. Louis, Missouri, US: Chalice Press (Christian Church/Disciples of Christ). 1995.
  11. ^ Voices United: The Hymn and Worship book of the United Church of Canada. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: The United Church Publishing House. 1996. ISBN 1-55134-017-8.
  12. ^ The Faith We Sing. Nashville, Tennessee, US: Abingdon Press. 2000. ISBN 0-687-09054-7.
  13. ^ All Together Again. Epping, New South Wales, Australia: Australian Christian Resources. 1983. ISBN 978-0-85910-262-9.
  14. ^ Christian Reformed Church (1987). Psalter hymnal. Grand Rapids, Michigan, US: CRC Publications. ISBN 978-0-93026-535-9.
  15. ^ a b Toda la iglesia canta. Havana, Cuba: Consejo Ecuménico de Cuba. 1989. OCLC 29065611.
  16. ^ New Century Hymnal. Cleveland: Pilgrim Press (United Church of Christ). 1995. p. 584.
  17. ^ Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press. 2006. p. 704.
  18. ^ Hope is our song. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust. 2009. p. 93.
  19. ^ Worship and Song. Nashville, Tennessee, US: Abingdon Press. 2011. ISBN 978-1-42670-993-7.
  20. ^ Glory to God: the Presbyterian hymnal. Louisville, Kentucky, US: Westminster John Knox Press. 2013. ISBN 978-1-61164-303-9.
  21. ^ Sing a New Creation. New York: Church Publishing Incorporated. 2022. ISBN 978-1-64065-273-6.
  22. ^ a b Strathdee, Jim. "I am the light of the world". Strathdee Music. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Pondering POXON". Discipleship Ministries. The United Methodist Church. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Staff & leadership". St. Mark's United Methodist Church. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  25. ^ "Methodist youth to visit Grand Canyon". Williams News. Williams, Arizona. 25 April 1963. p. 5.
  26. ^ a b "California folk singers to perform in Bristol". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Tennessee. 16 August 1964. p. 9.
  27. ^ "Folk-singing Methodist youths to present concert". The Daily News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. 19 August 1964. p. 3.
  28. ^ "Demos plan fund party tomorrow". The Van Nuys News. Van Nuys, California. 29 July 1966. p. 5.
  29. ^ Jewell, Ruth (6 January 2016). "The work of Christmas begins". A quiet walk. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  30. ^ Hutchings, Dawn (27 December 2012). "Do you see what I see?". Pastor Dawn beyond church. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d "Methodist songwriters stage Cashmere concert". The Cashmere Valley Record. Cashmere, Washington. 26 August 1981. p. 6.
  32. ^ "New songbook for Methodists will be introduced tomorrow". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. 31 October 1970. p. 8.
  33. ^ a b c d "Folk singer signs up as Mid-Pac teacher". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii. 1 December 1971. p. 54.
  34. ^ Dykk, Lloyd (7 February 1974). "Hour made memorable with a golden thread". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 39.
  35. ^ a b c Strathdee, Jean. "Bio for 50th [high school] reunion". Strathdee Music. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  36. ^ "Naramata Centre announces conference". Quesnel Cariboo Observer. Quesnel, British Columbia. 28 March 1973. p. C6.
  37. ^ "Jim Strathdee in concert here". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. 21 April 1973. p. 13.
  38. ^ "Singer here". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. 21 April 1973. p. 8.
  39. ^ "Ryerson United has arranged". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. 27 October 1973. p. 56.
  40. ^ "Jim Strathdee concert at college student union". Merced Sun-Star. Merced, California. 25 March 1978. p. 17.
  41. ^ St. Mark's 50th Anniversary: 1951-2001. Sacramento, California: St. Mark's United Methodist Church. 2001.
  42. ^ "Strathdee, Rev. Fred [memorial service]". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. 4 January 2002. p. 27.
  43. ^ "New choir director at First Methodist". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Los Angeles, California. 12 September 1964. p. 4.
  44. ^ "Stevens, Fruitvale school principal, dies". Lincoln News Messenger. Lincoln, California. 20 July 2000. p. 1.
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Category:American musicians Category:American songwriters Category:American hymnwriters

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