Keith and Kristyn Getty occupy a unique space in the world of music today as preeminent modern hymn writers. In re-inventing the traditional hymn form, they have created a distinguished catalog of songs teaching Christian doctrine and crossing genres by connecting the world of traditional and classical composition with contemporary and globally-accessible melodies.
These modern hymns are rooted in the traditions of Celtic and English hymnody handed down to the Northern Ireland-born couple and long-time writing partner, Stuart Townend. In Christ Alone (penned by Keith and Stuart, and recorded by Keith and Kristyn) echoes this heritage, holding the #1 position of most-frequently-sung in UK churches for the past 8 consecutive years. It was recently voted the #2 best-loved hymn of all time in the UK according to a BBC Songs of Praise national survey and among the top 5 hymns of all time by the UK Hymns Society. Another 50+ hymns from the Getty’s canon are noted in the top 2,000 of that same CCLI list for the UK.
Keith and Kristyn’s move across the Atlantic in 2006 to continue their writing and be "ambassadors" for the genre has been met with continual growth in the adoption of their songs, in the USA and throughout the world. CCLI has estimated that at least 40 million people sing "In Christ Alone" in church services each year— not to mention the global reach of that hymn and the scores of other Getty hymns now deeply rooted in the broader Church's repertoire. In addition to their presence in mainline hymn books and choral repertoires, the songs have been recorded by a breadth of artists including Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Owl City, Newsboys, Mercy Me, Natalie Grant, Passion/Kristian Stanfill, and Heather Headley. They have also been selected for significant international events such as the Enthronement of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the concluding ceremony of the third Lausanne Congress.
The Gettys tour internationally and have developed the recurring North American Hymns for the Christian Life and Irish Christmas tours, visiting venues as diverse as the Ryman Auditorium and Carnegie Hall. They have been guests at other events with performances from Royal Albert Hall to the Pentagon, from the Grand Ole Opry to Franklin Graham Crusades and Homecoming videos, and with television performances this year for PBS and BBC. They have released three studio albums, a Christmas album, and two live albums in addition to a number of print collections.
In 2016 and 2017 Keith and Kristyn will be launching a global release of “Facing a Task Unfinished” song, album, and tour. They are working toward their first church music conference in 2017 to be held in Nashville, as well as releasing their first Children’s Hymns project. Keith and Kristyn look forward to developing more Christmas music for the church alongside the Joy—An Irish Christmas tour.
Keith and Kristyn live between Northern Ireland and Nashville with their daughters, Eliza Joy, Charlotte, and Grace.
Learn more about The Getty's Music here.
Hear the full interview with Keith Getty here.