Tracy Y. Cannon guided the musical voice of Mormonism from its provincial roots at the turn of the twentieth century into a state of maturity by the end of his career in 1960. Cannon served as Salt Lake Tabernacle organist from 1905 until 1930, accompanying some of the first radio broadcasts of Music and the Spoken Word. Under his leadership, the McCune School of Music and Art became a cultural hub, offering accredited music degrees as well as community enrichment activities, influencing Utah’s next generation of music educators, composers, leaders, and policymakers. But perhaps his most lasting legacy was his work with the General Music Committee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through which he oversaw the creation of two hymnals, many anthem books, organ anthologies, method books, and an expansive organist and chorister education program.

Cannon’s musical tastes—dignified, refined, reverent, and heavily influenced by Northern European tradition—became the norm for Latter-day Saint congregations for generations. Through his multifaceted career, this brief biography explores the evolution of Latter-day Saint hymnody, “art music,” cultural taste, and music education during the first half of the twentieth century.

Shelby Fisher earned master’s degrees in both organ performance and education from the University of Utah before completing a doctorate in sacred music. Her scholarly work centers on the influence of religious belief on musical performance practice. She serves as Director of Organ Studies at Utah State University and is an active musician. Shelby and her husband, Brett, are the parents of three daughters.