Extraordinary really - here we are, at the arse of 2008, and I've only just twigged that it's the centenary of Sankey's death. I don't seem to be alone, however. One would think that such a remarkable songwriter would have had some fanfare in his centenary year, but if there has been some such, it's certainly passed me by.
I was prompted to Google his details after listening to Eliza Carthy's fantastic rendering of Gloryland on "Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man" (just downloaded from Amazon as an early Christmas present to myself), and after I started musing on his influence on folk music. I sing Only Remembered and I Bid You Goodnight, but I've heard many of his other hymns sung, and they have nearly always been terrific, particularly when set to Moody's music.
So, from a curmudgeonly old atheist, here's hats off to Ira Sankey. Anyone else got any favourites of his?