Arizona Watcher
Wayne Bethanis’ instrumental piano arrangement of Sebastian Temple’s “Happy the Man” rose to No. 1 on the Tucson-based New Age Notes Top 10 chart in July 2026, six weeks after its release.
Bethanis, based in Downtown Los Angeles, described the 1960s Catholic folk hymn as a defining song of the Catholic folk revival and said arranging it allowed him to introduce the melody to a contemporary audience.
He dedicated the recording to his grandmother, Kathryn Bethanis, who died at 103 and had asked him to release spiritual music; the release bridged the hymn’s liturgical roots with contemporary new age and Christian listeners.
Dyan Garris, founder of New Age Notes Radio, said the station’s Top 10 is compiled on merit and that Bethanis’ elegant, well-produced instrumental fit the outlet’s spirit-elevating programming, prompting immediate airplay.
A piano prodigy trained from age five, Bethanis earned a BA in piano performance from Chapman University and a Ph.D. in musicology from Claremont Graduate University; his six-album career includes hosting Piano Garden, a Mixcloud show that has reached No. 1 globally.
Bethanis’ recording also crossed into country radio, entering the Top 40 on Sound Machine Country Radio on June 13, 2026, and his album 'Sonic Bloom' is a 2026 New Age Notes nominee for Best New Age Album.
The original 'Happy the Man' was the title track of a 1967 LP released by Franciscan Communications; composer Sebastian Temple is best known for 'The Prayer of St. Francis' (Make Me a Channel of Your Peace).
Wayne Bethanis’ instrumental piano arrangement of Sebastian Temple’s hymn “Happy the Man” climbed to the top of the Tucson-based New Age Notes Top 10 chart in July 2026, six weeks after its release. The Downtown Los Angeles-based pianist said the recording, dedicated to his…