Edward P. Kimball

Edward Partridge Kimball was the Temple Square organist from 1905 to 1937, during which time the “Music and the Spoken Word” radio program began. His son Ted was the first announcer.

He composed several hymns and music, including the words to “God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son” (#187), and composed the music to “Great God, To Thee My Evening Song” (#164) and “The Wintry Day Descending to a Close” (#37), all of which were included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He temporarily left his position with the choir to serve as mission president of the German and Austrian Mission from August 1929 to July 1930.

In 1933, he filled an appointment as organist and director of the Church’s Bureau of Information in Washington, DC. He became ill and died suddenly on March 15, 1937.

He was born on June 2, 1882, in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. In 1898 he was appointed music teacher at the Beaver branch of Brigham Young Academy.