E. M. Bartlett

Full Name: Eugene Monroe Bartlett
Birth/Death: 1885–1941

Eugene Monroe Bartlett, born December 24, 1885, in Waynesville, Missouri, was a pivotal figure in the development of Southern gospel music. His family later moved to Sebastian County, Arkansas. Trained as a music teacher, Bartlett became a leader in the gospel music community, shaping the careers of many songwriters and musicians. He worked with Central Music Company, a publisher of shape note songbooks, and later collaborated with John A. McClung and David Moore to establish the Hartford Music Company.

In 1921, Bartlett founded the Hartford Music Institute, a school dedicated to shape note singing, providing musical training and opportunities for numerous aspiring gospel artists, including Albert E. Brumley. Bartlett was a prolific composer, best known for the enduring hymn Victory in Jesus, written after he suffered a stroke in 1939. His influence extended across the Southern gospel tradition through his teaching, publishing, and mentorship, leaving a lasting legacy in American church music.