Acclaimed baritone Jubilant Sykes, a longtime member of the music ministry at John MacArthur‘s Grace Community Church, was fatally stabbed at his California home on Dec. 8. That evening, Santa Monica police officers responded to a 911 call about an assault in progress.
Upon arrival, they found Sykes, 71, with “critical injuries consistent with a stabbing.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
One of Sykes’ three sons, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, “was found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident,” according to police. Authorities said they’re investigating the incident and processing an alleged weapon.
According to public records, Micah Sykes has a court appearance today (Dec. 11). Bail was listed at $4 million, and police indicated they would book the suspect for homicide. Some reports noted that Micah Sykes had dealt with mental health challenges.
Jubilant Sykes Was ‘Brilliant and Beautiful’
Jubilant Sykes was a Grammy Award nominee for best classical album, receiving the nod in 2010 for his rendition of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass.” The singer performed throughout the world and with artists such as Julie Andrews, Josh Groban, and Renée Fleming.
Sykes also was a film and stage actor, debuting in the 2014 movie “Freedom.” Despite his success as a singer, Sykes especially loved acting. “I consider myself more of an actor than a singer,” he said in 2017. “But the singing is what has opened up for me.”
After his death, fans shared tributes to Sykes—often linking to his versions of Christian spirituals. Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace to You, shared a post of Sykes’ last public performance, when he combined “Give Me Jesus” and “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” at the Grand Ole Opry House.
Musicians Keith and Kristyn Getty, who called Sykes a “brilliant and beautiful human being,” uploaded that performance to YouTube in honor of their “dear friend.” The couple’s collaborations with Sykes include a 2019 Christmas show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
“Jubilant’s ability to find the wonder and extraordinary in the ordinary was inspiring,” the Gettys wrote. “We recall long conversations about a career in the arts as a Christian…or dealing with the most sensitive issues of race or theology or politics, all of which [Sykes] handled without guile and with such extraordinary love and respect for all concerned.”
According to the Gettys, Sykes’ “final creative chapter was lending his voice to a new Scripture-and-orchestra project for Crossway, a work meant to help a new generation hear God’s Word beautifully.” The couple added, “By the grace of God, most of it is recorded. … Our prayer is that many will see, and fear, and put their trust in God as a result” of hearing it.
Christian author Joni Eareckson Tada also penned a tribute to Sykes. “Today our hearts are heavy as we learned of the tragic passing of the one-and-only Jubilant Sykes,” she wrote on social media. “He sang at our wedding all those years ago, and for more than four decades, he has been a treasured friend to Ken and me.”
Tada said they will miss Sykes’ “joy, his generous heart, and that unmistakable voice that always seemed to lift our eyes to heaven.” Amid the sorrow, she continued, “we rest in the hope that he is now rejoicing in the presence of the Savior he loved so deeply.”
