who wrote the song amazing grace

The song “Amazing Grace” was written by John Newton , an English Anglican clergyman and former slave ship captain who later became an abolitionist and hymn writer.

Quick Scoop: Who Wrote “Amazing Grace”?

• The hymn’s lyrics were written by John Newton in 1772 while he was serving as a curate (minister) in the town of Olney, England.

• It was first published in 1779 in a hymn collection called Olney Hymns.

• The well-known melody most people associate with “Amazing Grace” came later, when American song leader William Walker paired Newton’s words with the tune “New Britain” in the 1830s–1840s , helping the hymn spread widely.

In short: John Newton wrote the words, and later editors matched them to the famous tune that made “Amazing Grace” one of the most sung hymns in the world.

TL;DR: John Newton wrote the song “Amazing Grace” (the lyrics) in 1772, and it was published in 1779; the familiar tune was added decades later by others.

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