Amazing Grace

On the occasion of the 300th birthday of John Newton (1725-1807), "Amazing Grace," the song with the catchy melody that has been sung worldwide, especially after September 11, 2001 - behind this great hymn lies an unusual, even dramatic story. John Newton, the poet of the song, wrote the verses on New Year's Day in 1773: he describes how grace seized him and transformed him, a man who saw himself called by God to be the captain of a slave ship, into a champion for the abolition of slavery - for in God's eyes, all people are equal! Who was this man who so movingly praised the "amazing grace" of God? Newton was rescued from a merchant ship off the coast of Africa when he turned to the Christian faith during an eleven-hour storm in the Atlantic. Years later, as a pastor, he wrote the hymn for use in his congregation. Over the following two centuries, "Amazing Grace" appeared in more and more hymnals, and in the twentieth century, it became a gospel and folk standard before being discovered by pop music. It has been interpreted by a wide range of artists, including Elvis Presley, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Tiny Tim, Al Green, Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart, Chet Baker, and Destiny's Child. From John Newton's incredible life story to the hymn's role in American spirituality and culture, Amazing Grace is an unparalleled piece of music history.