Don Moen
His gentle, melodic worship songs became the soundtrack for a generation of believers seeking a more personal connection with God.
Born 1950 (age 76)·American singer, songwriter, and producer of Christian worship music·Birthday: June 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Don Moen never set out to be a music star. A pastor's kid from Minnesota, he was studying to be a music teacher when a chance encounter with a fledgling record company, Integrity Music, changed his trajectory. He became their creative director, but his true impact came from the songs he wrote in moments of personal pain and reflection. Tunes like 'God Will Make a Way' and 'Thank You, Lord' emerged not from calculated hit-making, but from a deep well of faith and a desire to provide simple, singable expressions of worship for everyday people. For decades, his work on the Hosanna! Music series filled churches and homes worldwide, shifting the sound of congregational music from grand hymns to intimate, heartfelt choruses. Moen's legacy is that of a quiet architect, building a bridge between the sanctuary and the living room through melody.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Don was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Don Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Don's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as President and Creative Director of Integrity Music, shaping the direction of modern worship music.
- Wrote and recorded the influential worship song 'God Will Make a Way,' which became a global anthem.
- Acted as executive producer for the massively successful Hosanna! Music series of worship albums.
- His album 'God Will Make a Way' was certified Gold in the United States.
Did You Know?
He originally moved to Mobile, Alabama, to work with Integrity Music for just six months, but ended up staying for over two decades.
He is a classically trained trombonist.
One of his most famous songs, 'God Will Make a Way,' was written for a family who lost a child in a tragic accident.
“Worship is not about music, it's about the heart.”
