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May F. Lawrence

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki




Marion Eudora Lawrence (born Flisher, December 24, 1876.[1] - September 7, 1958[2]) was an American composer[3], church music director, organist, and pianist who helped make Nashville, Tennessee a musical mecca of the American South in the first half of the 20th century. [Note to Editor: I have an image of a portrait of Lawrence painted by her sister Edith noted below--I'm checking to make sure it is in the public domain]

Life

Marion "May" Eudora Flisher was born in Ohio, and, by age four, she with her family had moved to South Pittsburg, Tennessee[4].  She and her twin sister Grace M. (Flisher) Baskette graduated from George Peabody College for Teachers[5] in 1893 as did their younger sister Edith E. Flisher, a portrait artist[6], in 1910.  May married William Walton Lawrence, grandson[7] of Andrew Jackson Jr., in 1899[8] and gave birth to their only child Edith E. Lawrence in 1901.[9] After the death of her husband, Lawrence stayed in Nashville[10] and her sister Judith lived with her until Judith's death in 1936[11]. In 1943, May moved from Nashville to live with her daughter and son-in-law in Decatur, Georgia[12] and eventually died there in 1958.

Career

Known professionally as May F. Lawrence, she served as music director and organist of Vine Street Christian Church in Nashville, Tennessee from 1907 to 1943[13]. She was a member of the American Guild of Organists and was elected to the Executive Committee of the Central Tennessee Chapter in 1914[14]. Lawrence performed on at least two Nashville radio stations[15], WLAC and WSM, from the late 1920s to the mid 1930s and is noted as WLAC staff accompanist in 1927[16].  Beyond her church music duties, May performed regularly in venues around Nashville and a few other places for social, musical, and professional gatherings. [Note to Editor: I have ~20 newspaper citations I'm evaluating to add as references to this section's last sentence]

Music Composition

Encouraged by friends who saw quality in her compositions[17], May submitted works to publishers and had her first work, a sacred song, published in 1920[18].  She soon had works published by well-known music publishers such as Theodore Presser & Co., Edward Schuberth & Co., and J. S. Fearis and Bro.  Her music career and compositions came to the attention of Emma Louise Ashford, also based in Nashville, because by 1920 Lawrence's organ compositions began appearing in the bi-monthly music magazine The Organist which was edited by Ashford and published by the Lorenz Publishing Company. Later Lorenz anthologies also included her organ music.  In 1923, she wrote the music and Alice Whitson wrote the lyrics for the song "I'd like to be a Santa Claus"[19] that Columbia Records included on one of their 1924 Christmas records featuring vocalist Gertrude Schmidt[20].  In 1928, Lawrence is noted as one of five composers, along with Ashford, helping make Nashville a musical "mecca of the South."[17] The Harrodsburg Herald noted in 1931 that she "is a composer of note and has a number of exquisite compositions to her credit..."[21] Her music was most popular from the 1920s to the 1950s, although it is documented being performed from 1921[22] to 2025[23]

Selected works and publications

Lawrence composed over 50 works for organ and a number of anthems, hymns, church songs, secular choral works, along with a number of songs for children's educational magazines. 

Organ music

Chamber Music

  • 1928 Offertory in G major[64], pf (arr. of 1920 Offertory, org)
  • 1939 Reverie[65], vln and org

Vocal Music

Music and lyrics by Lawrence unless noted otherwise

Anthems

  • 1926 The God of Love (lyrics by J. S. Zamecnick)[66]
  • 1928 Hearts to Heaven and Voices Raise (lyrics by Christopher Wordsworth)[67]
  • 1934 For He that was dead is risen[68]
  • 1949 Jesus is our shepherd[69]

Hymns

  • 1930 O, Come, Let Us Worship[70]
  • 1934
    • A Morning Prayer[71]
    • Father, Lead Me Day by Day[72]

Choral music

  • 1928
    • Don' you heah me callin' Lady Lou (lyrics by Marian Phelps)[73]
    • Honeysuckle time in Dixie (lyrics by Marian Phelps)[74]
    • Songs of nature (lyrics by Helen Coale Crew)[75]
  • 1930
    • Dreamy June (lyrics by Marian Phelps)[76]
    • Honey Chile (lyrics by Marian Phelps)[77]

Songs

References

  1. ↑ "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003". FamilySearch. 1876. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  2. ↑ "The Atlanta Journal (1889-2001)". ProQuest. September 8, 1958. ProQuest 3040549480. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ Henderson, John (2005). A directory of composers for organ. Internet Archive. Swindon : J. Henderson. ISBN 978-0-9528050-2-1. Search this book on
  4. ↑ "1880 United States Federal Census". MyHeritage.com [online database], MyHeritage Ltd. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  5. ↑ George Peabody College for Teachers (1913). George Peabody college for teachers. Reopening of the college, alumni lists, progress of scholarship campaign, Knapp school of country life. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Nashville, Tenn., George Peabody college for teachers. Search this book on
  6. ↑ "Artist Index - Tennessee Portrait Project". Tennessee Portrait Project. Archived from the original on 2026-05-22. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  7. ↑ American presidential families. Internet Archive. New York : Macmillan Pub. Co. ; Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada. 1993. ISBN 978-0-02-897305-0. Search this book on
  8. ↑ "Tennessee, Marriages, 1796-1950". FamilySearch.org. January 27, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Marion Flisher". Southern Anthology. March 22, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Nashville, Tennessee, City Directory". Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. 1942. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972), 14 Dec., 1936, pp. 7". Proquest. December 14, 1936. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory". Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. 1944. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972)". Proquest. September 9, 1958. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  14. ↑ The Diapason 1914-08-01: Vol 5 Iss 9. Internet Archive. Scranton Gillette Communications Inc. 1914-08-01. Search this book on
  15. ↑ Radio Digest Publishing Company (1928). Radio digest (Mar 1928-Oct 1929). MBRS Library of Congress. Chicago : Radio Digest Publishing Company. Search this book on
  16. ↑ "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972)". Proquest. July 31, 1927. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972)". Proquest. April 8, 1928. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  18. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1948). Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series. Part 5C: Renewal Registrations-Music Jan-Dec 1948: Vol 2 No 1-2. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  19. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  20. ↑ Columbia Phonograph Co., Inc (1924). Columbia 1925 Catalogue. Search this book on
  21. ↑ "The Harrodsburg Herald (1902-1935)". Newspapers.com. January 2, 1931. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  22. ↑ "The Scioto Gazette (1900-1930)". Proquest. March 25, 1921. ProQuest 2117501271. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Streetsville United Church Sunday October 12, 2025" (PDF). Streetsville United Church. October 12, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  24. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's Offertory Folio for Pipe or Reed Organs". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  25. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  26. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  27. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. March 21, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  28. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Organ Service Folio". i.ebayimg.com. Archived from the original on 2026-05-09. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  29. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Organ Service Folio". i.ebayimg.com. April 17, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-09. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  30. ↑ "Page 4 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 21, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  31. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's Folio of Hymn Voluntaries". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-25. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  32. ↑ "Page 3 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  33. ↑ "Page 3 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  34. ↑ "Page 4 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  35. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  36. ↑ "Page 3 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  37. ↑ "Page 3 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  38. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's Preludes for Worship". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-09. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  39. ↑ "American Guild of Organists | Boston University". www.bu.edu. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  40. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  41. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's Organ Voluntaries, No. 9". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-09. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  42. ↑ "Lowell Sun, March 20, 1940, Pg. 56". newspaperarchive.com. March, 20, 1940. Retrieved April 28, 2026. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ↑ "Worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  44. ↑ "Worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  45. ↑ "Worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2027. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  46. ↑ "Amazon sale of Lorenz's Practical Organ Book, No. 9". m.media-amazon.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  47. ↑ "Amazon sale of Lorenz's The Organist, Vol. 50, No. 5". m.media-amazon.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  48. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Amateur Organist, Vol. 6". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2027. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  49. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  50. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Organist, Vol. 54, No. 2". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  51. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Organist, Vol. 54, No. 6". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  52. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  53. ↑ "Page 2 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  54. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Amateur Organist, Vol. 20". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  55. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Amateur Organist, Vol. 20". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  56. ↑ "Amazon sale of Lorenz's The Organist, Vol. 59, No. 1". m.media-amazon.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  57. ↑ "One License | church music copyright permissions". www.onelicense.net. Archived from the original on 2026-05-25. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  58. ↑ "Page 3 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  59. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's Folio of One-page Spinet Voluntaries". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  60. ↑ "Arizona State Univeristy catalogue search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". search.lib.asu.edu. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  61. ↑ "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972)". Proquest. November 30, 1958. ProQuest 1900237833. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  62. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Amateur Organist, Vol. 31". i.ebayimg.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  63. ↑ "eBay sale of Lorenz's The Organist, Vol. 60, No. 1". m.media-amazon.com. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-23. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  64. ↑ Various R. M. Stults (1928). Lorenz's Church Pianist (the first). Internet Archive. Lorenz. Search this book on
  65. ↑ "Page 4 of worldcat.org search results for 'May F. Lawrence'". ccl.on.worldcat.org. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  66. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1926). Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1926 Music For the Year 1926 New Series Vol 21 Part 3. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  67. ↑ Etude : the music magazine 1932-03: Vol 50 Iss 3. Internet Archive. Philadelphia, PA: Theo. Presser co. March 1932. p. 222.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
  68. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1934). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1934: Vol 29 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  69. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1977). Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series. Part 1: Books and Pamphlets Jul-Dec 1977: Vol 31 No 2 Sec 2 Current and Renewal Registrations. United States Copyright Office. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  70. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1930). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1930: Vol 25 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  71. ↑ various (1929). The Call to Praise : a hymnal for children's division. Internet Archive. The Rodeheaver Hall Mack. Search this book on
  72. ↑ various (1929). The Call to Praise : a hymnal for children's division. Internet Archive. The Rodeheaver Hall Mack. Search this book on
  73. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1928). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1928: Vol 23 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  74. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1956). Catalog of Copyright Entries Series 3 Vol.10 Part 5c Nos.1-2 (Jan.-Dec. 1956). University of Michigan Google. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  75. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1928). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1928: Vol 23 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  76. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1930). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1930: Vol 25 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  77. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1930). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1930: Vol 25 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  78. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1920). Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1920 Music Last Half of 1920 New Series Vol 15 Part 2. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  79. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1948). Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series. Part 5C: Renewal Registrations-Music Jan-Dec 1948: Vol 2 No 1-2. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  80. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1922). Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1922 Music New Series Vol 17 Pt 3. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  81. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  82. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  83. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1951). Catalog of Copyright Entries Series 3 Vol.5 Part 5c Nos.1-2 (Jan.-Dec. 1951). University of Michigan Google. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  84. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  85. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  86. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1951). Catalog of Copyright Entries Series 3 Vol.5 Part 5c Nos.1-2 (Jan.-Dec. 1951). University of Michigan Google. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  87. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1923). Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1923 Music For the Year 1923 Vol 18 Part 3. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  88. ↑ United States Copyright Office (1946). 1946-1954 Copyright Registration Cards (A-N). Search this book on
  89. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1957). Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series. Part 5: Music Jul-Dec 1957: Vol 11 No 2. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  90. ↑ "Nashville Tennessean (1923-1972)". Proquest. December 14, 1932. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  91. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1933). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1933: Vol 28 No 1-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  92. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1941). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1941: Vol 36 No 1-6. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  93. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1941). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1941: Vol 36 No 1-6. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on
  94. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1945). Catalog of Copyright Entries, New Series. Part 3: Musical Compositions 1945: Vol 40 No 10-12. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Search this book on


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