Fanny Crosby was an incredibly prolific poet and hymn-writer who wrote more hymns still sung today than almost any other. She is estimated to have written some 9,000 hymns in addition to her other poetry. Her hymns were typical of the period of "gospel song" spanning approximately 1870-1920, characterized by happy, light lyrics similar to popular ballads of the day.

Born to a poor family in upstate New York in 1820, she was blinded as an infant due to an infection and subsequent mistreatment at the hands of a quack. Shortly after her father died, also as a result of illness. Her knowledge of the world came to her largely through her grandmother's vivid descriptions and her requiring her to memorize poetry and vast excerpts of the Bible. Despite her blindness, her hymns are full of beauty and "sight."

Later in life she was schooled at the young New York Institute for the Blind, where she developed her musical proficiency. Her first hymn was written in 1864, and she used published poems and hymns under more than 200 pen names.

She died on February 11, 1915, leaving a vast body of work.