Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, born on August 18, 1856, in Wilton, Iowa, was a prolific American composer and songwriter, particularly known for his gospel and hymn compositions. Raised on a farm, Gabriel was largely self-taught in music, learning to play the family reed organ and teaching singing in schools by the age of sixteen. He began his career holding singing classes and institutes across the Southern, Western, and Northern United States, which helped him understand the musical needs of the people.

In 1887, Gabriel moved to California, where he became recognized as a leading composer on the West Coast. He served as the Sunday school music director at Grace Methodist Church in San Francisco. By 1892, he relocated to Chicago, further establishing his career.

Gabriel's extensive body of work includes over twenty-four books for Sunday-schools and evangelistic meetings, and his songs are found in nearly every hymn book of his time. His first major success, "Send the Light," became one of the best missionary songs. Other popular songs include "Let the Sunshine In," "Calling the Prodigal," and "The Way of the Cross Leads Home." His "Glory Song" achieved extraordinary popularity, being translated into at least seventeen languages and printed over 17 million times.

In addition to hymns, Gabriel composed fourteen books of anthems, seven children's cantatas, thirty-eight Christmas cantatas, eleven sacred cantatas for adults, and several secular operettas. His works for military bands, including marches and waltzes, and instructional books for organ and piano, further showcased his versatility.

Gabriel's music is known for its melodious nature and variety, often characterized by a unique style due to his lack of formal training. Despite his success, he remained a genial and kind-hearted individual, contributing significantly to the field of sacred music until his death on September 14, 1932, in Los Angeles, California.