Rusty Edwards is a hymnwriter who was born in Dixon, Illinois on January 22, 1955. He has been an ordained minister for over 27 years, and is currently the Senior Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Marietta, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta).He and his wife Lori have been married for 33 years, and have two sons, Benjamin and Ian.
Over two dozen of his hymns have been published in 70 books used by 36 denominations in Australia,Canada,China, England, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, and the USA. He has published five collections of hymns, including THE YES OF THE HEART (with foreword by Chick Corea), GRATEFUL PRAISE, AS SUNSHINE TO A GARDEN, and EACH BREATH EVERY HEARTBEAT (Abingdon Nashville)and BIDDEN, UNBIDDEN (Abingdon Press) . His sixth book will be entitled COME,MY CHOSEN with co-writers from several countries. Dave Brubeck wrote a tune for his song "As the Moon is to the Sun" which is included in the 2008 book, "DAVE BRUBECK AT THE PIANO." His best known songs so far are: We All are one in Mission, Praise the One who Breaks the Darkness, Now it is Evening, To a Maid Engaged to Joseph, and Each Breath, Every Heartbeat. He is an honorary citizen of Austin, Texas and a Kentucky Colonel. On January 22, 2009, the City of Tyler, Texas held a "Rusty Edwards Hymn Writer Day." He was 2009 Visiting Fellow at Yale University Institute of Sacred Music and is 2012 Visiting Fellow of Africa University in Zimbabwe. He is a Brotherhood Member of The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House in Macon, Georgia, and a member of the Blues Hall of Fame. Most recently, he was a part of the Chick Corea Master Workshop, where he recorded Prism (words by Rusty Edwards; music by Chick Corea, with Chick Corea, John Patitucci, and Antonio Sanchez.
