The global Christian music community is mourning the loss of Dr Ron Kenoly, the legendary American gospel singer, songwriter and worship leader, who has passed away at the age of 81.
News of Kenoly’s death on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, was confirmed by his longtime music director, Bruno Miranda, in an emotional statement shared on the worship icon’s official Instagram page. The announcement sent shockwaves across churches and gospel music circles worldwide, where Kenoly’s songs have long been a soundtrack for praise and devotion.
Miranda, who worked closely with Kenoly for over two decades, painted a portrait of a man whose calling went far beyond music. “He was never an artist, never an entertainer — he was a worship leader,” he wrote, underscoring Kenoly’s lifelong commitment to leading people into sincere, spirit-filled worship rather than staged performances.
Born on December 6, 1944, in Coffeyville, Kansas, Ron Kenoly’s journey into music and ministry spanned more than forty years and crossed continents. Before dedicating his life fully to gospel music, he served in the United States Air Force between 1965 and 1968, performing with a band that toured military bases. That early exposure sharpened his musical discipline and laid the foundation for a ministry that would later touch millions.
Kenoly rose to global prominence in the early 1990s through powerful live worship recordings that transformed church praise services worldwide. Albums such as Lift Him Up and Welcome Home became defining projects of modern worship music, while timeless songs like “Ancient of Days,” “Jesus Is Alive,” “All Honour,” and “Anointing Fall On Me” evolved into enduring anthems sung across denominations and generations. His Welcome Home album notably topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian charts and earned him a Dove Award, cementing his place among gospel music’s greats.
Beyond the recording studio, Kenoly served faithfully as a worship leader and pastor at Jubilee Christian Center in San Jose, California, while also mentoring worship leaders and ministering at conferences and crusades around the world. His energetic praise style, deep reverence for God, and insistence on authenticity helped shape the sound and spirit of contemporary worship in countless churches.
Tributes have continued to pour in following his passing. Nigerian gospel star Nathaniel Bassey described Kenoly as a generational inspiration, writing, “Dr Ron Kenoly crosses to yonder side. Thank you for inspiring generations of psalmists like me.” Bishop Wale Oke, President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, hailed him as “a true worshipper” whose ministry consistently carried the presence of God.
Although the cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, Ron Kenoly’s legacy remains unmistakable. He leaves behind his family and a global army of worshippers who will continue to lift their voices through the songs he pioneered, songs that turned churches into altars and praise into a way of life.
