11 Facts About Lanny Wolfe

Lanny Wolfe was born on February 2,1942 and is an American Christian music songwriter, musician, music publisher, and music educator.

Lanny Wolfe has written over seven hundred songs and fourteen musicals, and has recorded over seventy projects.

Lanny Wolfe won two GMA Dove Awards in 1984, for Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, for his song, "More Than Wonderful," a song whose recording by Sandi Patti and Larnelle Harris earned them a Grammy Award.

Lanny Wolfe has served as a member of the board of directors of the Gospel Music Association.

Lanny Wolfe learned how to play the piano by ear, a talent that was used in his local church as he was growing up.

Lanny Wolfe went to Ohio State University, received his baccalaureate degree in business education, and began teaching in public schools.

Lanny Wolfe eventually finished a second Master's in the same field.

Lanny Wolfe headed the music departments at the following Bible schools affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International: Christian Life College in Stockton, California from 1965 to 1966; Gateway College of Evangelism in St Louis, Missouri from 1968 to 1974; and at Jackson College of Ministries in Jackson, Mississippi from 1974 to 1993.

Lanny Wolfe is a pioneer in progressing modern church music in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches from traditional hymns or folk-style singing to more sophisticated worship styles with arranged or pre-recorded music, using styles of music influenced by pop-culture and black gospel music.

Lanny Wolfe founded the National Music Ministry Conference as an effort to improve worship music in churches within the United Pentecostal Church, although its influence eventually expanded outside of that denomination.

Lanny Wolfe busily mined other non-mainstream gospel genres for material, often using music recorded by gospel choirs for material.