Roger William Jones (born 1948) is an English musician and composer of church music. Alongside writing cantatas and hymn tunes he leads workshops and conducts performances of his works both around the UK and in other countries.

Biography

Roger Jones was born in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

on 15 May 1948, the son of Harold and Winifred Jones and studied piano, organ, cello and general musicianship at the

Birmingham School of Music Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is a music school, drama school and concert venue in Birmingham, England. It provides education in music, acting, and related disciplines up to postgraduate level. It is a centre for scholarly research and doc ...

. After teacher training at City of Birmingham College of Education (now Birmingham City University Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences), in September 1969 he became Head of Music and then in September 1978 Head of Lower School at Aston Manor School (now Academy). Writing songs for the pupils, his first musical, ''Jerusalem Joy'', was performed at the school in 1973. Before giving up teaching in 1984 he wrote 5 more musicals: ''Apostle'', ''David'', ''A Grain of Mustard Seed'' about the Sunday School pioneer

Robert Raikes Robert Raikes ("the Younger") (14 September 1735 – 5 April 1811) was an English philanthropist and Anglican layman. He was educated at The Crypt School in Gloucester. He was noted for his promotion of Sunday schools. Family Raikes was born ...

, ''Saints Alive'' and ''Greater than Gold''. Up to 2025, Roger Jones had composed a total of 25 musicals. Since leaving teaching in 1984 he has worked full-time in Christian music, and is director of Christian Music Ministries, which publishes his works. A biography (''Roger Jones Musical Man'' by Graham Allen: ) was published by Christian Music Ministries in 2015. He currently hosts
Heart and Soul
which is a regular two-hour weekly programme on Brumside Radio (formerly called South Birmingham Radio). In it he presents church music and chats to what are described by the internet radio station as high-profile guests within this musical genre. In 2022, Roger suggested the idea of the Appledore Christian Music Festival. Cuurently an annual event, this brought together the Anglcan and the Baptist Church congregations in Appledore village, Devon. This has become an annual event with a wide range of musical styles. He is a

Lay Reader In Anglicanism, a licensed lay minister (LLM) or lay reader (in some jurisdictions simply reader) is a person authorised by a bishop to lead certain Church service, services of worship (or parts of the service), to preach and to carry out pastoral ...

in the Church of England.

Musical works

Cantatas * ''Jerusalem Joy'' (1975) * ''Stargazers'' (1976) *:Updated edition (2017) * ''David'' (1976) *:Updated edition (2004) * ''A Grain of Mustard Seed'' (1976) *:Updated edition (2006) * ''Saints Alive'' (1982) *:Updated edition, new song added (2022) () * ''Apostle'' (1982) *:Updated edition (2013) * ''Greater than Gold'' (1983) * ''From Pharaoh to Freedom'' (1985) * ''While Shepherds Watched'' (1987) * ''The Torn Curtain'' (1988) * ''Away in a Manger'' (1989) * ''Mary Magdalene'' (1990) *:Additional lyrics by

Horatius Bonar Horatius Bonar (; 19 December 180831 July 1889) was a Scottish churchman and poet who was a contemporary and acquaintance of Robert Murray M'cheyne. He is principally remembered as a prodigious hymnodist. Friends knew him as Horace Bo ...

(1808–89),

Cecil Frances Alexander Cecil Frances Alexander (April 1818 – 12 October 1895) was an Anglo-Irish hymnwriter and poet. Amongst other works, she wrote "All Things Bright and Beautiful", " There is a green hill far away" and the Christmas carol "Once in Royal David's Ci ...

(1823-95) and

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...

(1807–82) * ''Jairus' Daughter'' (1992) *:Additional words by Sylvia Bunting and Chris Ellis *:Hymn lyrics by Walter John Mathams (1853-1931) * ''Angel Voices'' (1993) * ''Pharisee'' (1996) *:With other words by Alison Fuggle and

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English Anglican cleric and a principal leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include "And Can It ...

(1707–88) * ''Simeon'' (1997) * ''Snakes & Ladders'' (1999) *:Lyrics, narrations and poems by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones and Cardinal

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English Catholic theologian, academic, philosopher, historian, writer, and poet. He was previously an Anglican priest and after his conversion became a cardinal. He was an ...

*:Opening music by Tim Jones * ''Wildfire'' (2002) *:Lyrics and Narrations by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones, Samuel Crossman (1624–83) and

Isaac Watts Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. His works include " When I Survey th ...

(1674-1748) * ''Jail Break'' (2005) *:Additional music by Tim Jones *:Lyrics and Narrations by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones, Mary Jones, James Grindlay Small (1817–88) and

(1707-88) * ''The Inn Crowd'' (2007) *:Lyrics and Narrations by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones, Peter H Lawrence, Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed (1885-1933) and

Reginald Heber Reginald Heber (21 April 1783 – 3 April 1826) was an English Anglicanism, Anglican bishop, a man of letters, and hymn-writer. After 16 years as a country parson, he served as Anglican Diocese of Calcutta, Bishop of Calcutta until his de ...

(1783-1836) * ''Rock'' (2008) *:Lyrics and narrative links by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones,

Augustus Toplady Augustus Montague Toplady (4 November 174011 August 1778) was an English Anglican cleric and hymn writer. He was a major Calvinist opponent of John Wesley. He is best remembered as the author of the hymn "Rock of Ages". Three of his other hy ...

(1740–78), E Mote (1797-1874) and traditional * ''Two Sisters and a Funeral'' (2010) *:Three songs by Tim Jones *:Lyrics and narrative links by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones, Robert Grant (1779-1838), Samuel T. Francis (1834-1926) and

Henry Francis Lyte Henry Francis Lyte (1 June 1793 – 20 November 1847) was a Scottish Anglican divine, hymnodist and poet. Biography Youth and education Henry Francis Lyte was the second son of Thomas and Anna Maria (née Oliver) Lyte, whose family came orig ...

(1793-1847) * ''Barnabas'' (2015) *:Lyrics and narrative links by Alison Fuggle *:Additional lyrics by Roger Jones, J H Samis (1846-1919), William Whiting (1825-78) and Bishop

Walsham How William Walsham How (13 December 182310 August 1897) was an English Anglican bishop. Known as Walsham How, he was the son of a Shrewsbury solicitor; How was educated at Shrewsbury School, Wadham College, Oxford and University College, Durham. H ...

(1823–97) * ''Torn Curtain'' (2019) *:Revision and expansion of ''The Torn Curtain'' without communion service setting * ''Torn Curtain Communion setting'' (2019) * ''Three Wise Camels'' (2020) () * ''Zac'' (2024) () Hymns and Carols * ''The Roger Jones Hymn Collection'' (1999) published by Kevin Mayhew Ltd *:(2014) Revised edition published by Christian Music Ministries * ''The Roger Jones Psalm Collection'' * ''The Roger Jones Christmas Collection'' (2001) * ''The Roger Jones Song Collection'' * ''Seasons & Reasons'' (2010) hymn collection in collaboration with Bishop

Timothy Dudley-Smith Timothy Dudley-Smith (26 December 1926 – 12 August 2024) was a bishop of the Church of England and a noted hymnwriter. He wrote around 400 hymns, including "Tell Out, My Soul". Early life and education Dudley-Smith was born on 26 December 19 ...

* ''Songs of Christmas'' * ''Songs of Easter'' (2022) () CD albums * ''Jones! Got Rhythm'' *: featuring Tim, Michael and Roger Jones performing together *All the published musical cantatas are available on CD.

Books

* ''Worship Works'' (2013) by Roger Jones, Annie Routley and Helen Pollard. Cartoons by Tim Stanyon. Paintings by Ruth Butler. * ''Spirit Works'' (2017) by Roger Jones, Annie Routley and Helen Pollard. Edited by Helen Pollard.

Awards

* 2018 Mary Jones Prize from the

British and Foreign Bible Society The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world. The ...

for ''Greater than Gold'' * 2019 ''The Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship'' Graham Allan ''Roger Jones Musical Man'' revised and expanded edition

References

External links

Christian Music Ministries
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Roger 1948 births Living people Composers of Christian music English male composers 20th-century British composers 21st-century British composers Alumni of Birmingham City University 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century British male musicians Alumni of the Birmingham School of Music