Born: May 1, 1858, Cherry Grove, WV.
Died: November 16, 1924, Chattanooga, TN.
Buried: West Hill Cemetery, Dalton, GA.
From the North Georgia citizen, Dalton, GA, February 14, 1907:
THE NEW YEAR IS HERE!
And So Are We with a New Song Book!
and THE SONG TEMPLE is the name of it!
It is by A. J. Showalter, J. D. Patton, R. H. Cornelius and J. M. Bowman, with more than Fifty Special Contributors.
The price is 50 cents per copy; $5.75 per dozen. And it is cheap for such a large and superior book as it is.
Here are two specimen pages, printed in shaped notes, so that all who have studied them at all can sing them. But you can get the book in the standard notation also. Try these splendid songs and then call at our office and get a copy of the book, or send 35c with your order and it will receive our prompt attention.
A. J. SHOWALTER CO., DALTON, GA.
And an advertisement for daughter Tenney:
Miss Tenney Showalter
Will open her class for the instruction of Piano, Voice, Harmony, and Theory in the near future. The class will be under the auspices of the A. J. Showalter Co., in connection with their music business. For terms and further information, address her at Dalton, Ga., care of A. J. Showalter Co.
Anthony Johnson Showalter’s life echoed the very hymns he composed – a melody of devotion, hard work, and unwavering faith. As the notes of a piano reverberate through a church, so did Showalter’s influence resound across the landscape of American gospel music.
Born on May 1, 1858, in Cherry Grove, West Virginia, Showalter’s musical journey began in the humble setting of his father’s singing schools. Like a sapling reaching for sunlight, young Anthony stretched towards musical knowledge, attending his first normal music school at New Market, Va., in 1876. This thirst for musical wisdom led him to several more schools, including Dr. Root’s National Normal at Erie, Pa., and Dr. Palmer’s International Normal at Meadville, Pa.
At the tender age of fourteen, Showalter began teaching singing schools, his youthful enthusiasm harmonizing with his growing expertise. By nineteen, he had expanded his repertoire to include literary school teaching, and at twenty-two, he was conducting normal music schools. It was as if the Lord had placed each opportunity before him, a stepping stone to greater things.
In 1884, Showalter established the A.J. Showalter Co. in Dalton, Georgia, a publishing house that would become the bedrock of his legacy. From this foundation, he would compose, teach, and publish, spreading the gospel through music like seeds on fertile soil.
Showalter’s pen seemed touched by divine inspiration, producing over sixty books and countless compositions. But it was in 1887 that he penned the notes that would echo through generations:
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” became Showalter’s most renowned hymn, a testament to his faith and musical prowess. The song’s enduring popularity serves as a reminder that when we lean on the Lord, our impact can reach far beyond our earthly years.
Showalter’s influence extended beyond composition. His books on music theory and harmony became cornerstones of music education in the South. The Southern Normal Musical Institute (S.N.M.I.), which he founded, became a crucible for musical talent, shaping the next generation of Southern music educators.
Like a complex fugue, Showalter’s life intertwined various pursuits. Beyond his musical endeavors, he directed The A.J. Showalter Co. and The Showalter-Patton Co., published The Music Teacher and Home Magazine, and even managed a thriving fruit farm. Each venture seemed to complement the others, creating a rich tapestry of a life well-lived.
In 1881, Showalter married Callie Walser of Texas, and together they composed a family of seven children. His eldest daughter, Tenney, became one of the South’s foremost singers and pianists, while his son Karl served as secretary of The A.J. Showalter Co. It seemed the Lord had blessed not just Anthony, but his entire family with musical gifts.
Anthony Johnson Showalter’s life came to its final measure on September 14, 1924, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Yet, like the lingering notes of a powerful hymn, his influence continues to resonate. His compositions still ring out in churches across America, his educational works continue to shape musicians, and his business legacy lives on through the companies he founded.
In the grand composition of gospel music history, Showalter stands as a powerful refrain – a reminder of how one life, lived in harmony with God’s will, can create music that echoes through eternity. As we reflect on his life, we might find ourselves humming, “Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.”
