Grant Cunningham, vice president of A&R for
Sparrow Records, died on Sunday afternoon,
July 7, after sustaining a head injury while
playing in an adult rec league soccer game on
Wednesday evening. He suffered a blood clot to
his brain, which surgeons removed Wednesday
evening, but he never regained consciousness.
He was 37.
An award-winning songwriter and producer,
Cunningham was an integral force in
establishing Sparrow’s deep, award-winning
artist roster. He was instrumental in forming
and starting five-time Dove Award winners and
Sparrow Records vocal group Avalon and wrote
numerous songs for the group, including
“Always Have and Always Will,” “In Not Of”
and “Wonder Why.” His producer credits include
Avalon, Nichole Nordeman, Michelle Tumes,
Steve Green, Phillips, Craig & Dean and recent
new artists Jump5 and the David Crowder Band.
Cunningham also wrote songs for Amy Grant,
Cindy Morgan, Kathy Troccoli, and Russ Lee,
among others. He won a Dove Award in 1996 for co-writing the Pop/Contemporary Song of the
Year, “The Great Divide,” performed by Point of Grace.
An active member in the Academy of Gospel Music Arts, Cunningham served as a faculty
member at the AGMA On Campus events at Prairie Bible College in recent years as well as
Seminar in the Rockies.
Cunningham also was an elder at Christ Community and was a frequent worship leader there.
Cunningham is survived by his wife, Kristin, and their three sons, twins Will and Evan, 5, and
Blake, 1 1/2, and his parents.
Viewing and visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 9, from 6-9 p.m. at Christ Community
Church at 1215 Hillsboro Road in Franklin, Tenn. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday,
July 10, at 10 a.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Grant Cunningham Memorial
Fund. Donations can be sent to: Christ Community Church, Grant Cunningham Memorial Fund,
1215 Hillsboro Road, Franklin, TN 37069.
