Episcopal Musician Fran McKendree Dies at 74

Robert Francis McKendree, a popular musician in the Episcopal Church and beyond, died of cancer June 10 at 74.

He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in May 1947. McKendree began his professional career playing at coffee houses around Auburn, New York, and Syracuse University. Moving to Glens Falls, New York, he formed McKendree Spring, a rock ensemble that the legendary manager Bill Graham called “one of the best unknown bands in the world.”

According to his website, while he was walking around his New York City neighborhood one day, looking for inspiration, McKendree discovered a small Episcopal church. The next Sunday he and his wife, Diana, attended services and found an engaging, faithful, mission-focused, and artistic gathering of seekers. It was a breakthrough for McKendree, opening a new spiritual path that led him to take time for reflection. Read More

Image Credit: Photos of Fran McKendree at age 25 and more recently from franmckendree.com