An interesting sidenote today – a guy who wrote a bunch of songs that I sang as a kid died a week or two ago – John W. Peterson passed away at 84. Here’s the news from Assist:

John W. Peterson, 84, who wrote more than 1,000 gospel hymns in a musical career that began before World War II, died Sept. 20 of cancer at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. Peterson’s compositions included “It Took a Miracle,” “Over the Sunset Mountains,” “So I Send You” and “Surely Goodness and Mercy.”

Peterson had headed his own music publishing businesses in Scottsdale since moving to Arizona in the 1970s. Earlier, he served for more than 10 years as president of Singspiration, a sacred-music publishing company in Grand Rapids, Mich.

A few of his songs I know from memory
It Took a Miracle
Over the Sunset Mountains
So Send I You
Springs of Living Water
Heaven Came Down
Jesus Is Coming Again
Surely Goodness and Mercy

JG