John B. Shirley (1860-1954) was born in Manhattan, New York City. As a young child, he was taken to Scotland and raised there. He studied vocal music and became a bass soloist, winning the Scottish gold medal at Glasgow one year in a contest with 400 aspiring singers. He returned to the United States as a young adult and became superintendent of music in the Lansingburg public schools in Troy, New York, where he remained for 44 years until his retirement in 1937. He was director of the music department at the Summer-Institute for New York State Teachers at Thousand Island Park, was active in the Troy Vocal Society, directed the Tourists Harmony Quartet and was member of the Burns Club and of the American Guild of Organists. After retirement, he spent winters in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he became active in several musical organizations and founded the Three-Quarter Century Chorus. He died in Eagle Mills, New York. He was widely known as vocalist, conductor and composer. He published a number of books containing his editions, arrangements and compositions for choirs.

All are mixed chorus unless noted; some contain divisi.