Last Saturday, we were sadden to hear of Tom Howard’s passing. Howard suffered a heart attack while taking a walk with his wife Dori at Warner Park in Nashville. He was 59.

Howard was part of the early Jesus Music Movement and Larry Norman’s Solid Rock Record label together with Daniel Amos, Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill, Pantano & Salisbury, and Salvation Air Force. He later recorded several instrumental albums for Maranatha! Music. Last October, Piano Christmas was released in North America.

Not only was Howard a solo artist, he was a brilliant conductor, composer and arranger working on projects for Michael W. Smith, Downhere, Jars of Clay, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cindy Morgan, Dolly Parton, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Michelle Tumes, CeCe Winans, and many others. Howard had just completed the score to the Franklin Springs Family Media™ film “George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Way” and was working on string arrangements for Sheila Walsh’s upcoming album.

A Facebook group has been set up and many familiar names have left messages. Franklin Springs has posted a blog about their long-time friend and frequent collaborator. In 2008, Mike Rimmer from UK’s CrossRhythms conducted an extensive interview with Howard, read the article here.

Howard is survived by his wife Dori and two children Katie and Joseph. The funeral will be held on at 2:00 p.m. CST, Wednesday, February 3rd at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 4800 Belmont Park Terrace in Nashville, Tennessee 37215. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Tom Howard Benevolence Fund which has been set up at St. Bartholomew’s Church have been requested to assist the family.