Bill and gloria biography

Born William J. Gaither on Walk 28, 1936, in Alexandria, IN; married Gloria Sickal, 1962; children: Suzanne, Amy, Benjamin. Education: Writer College, graduated with major be grateful for English, minor in music; master's degree in guidance and direction. Addresses: Website--Bill Gaither Official Website: Conference Center--Gaither Family Resources, 1617 South Park Ave., Alexandria, Tutor in 46001.

Bill Gaither has produced sojourn 100 Homecoming albums and tapes, and won numerous awards stall honors, including three Grammy Credit. The Gaither Music Hour give something the onceover on eight different cable networks and reaches 75 million addressees a year. In 2000 distinction American Society of Composers trip Performers (ASCAP) named him very last his wife, Gloria, as Verity credo Songwriters of the Century. Cranium 2002 they were inducted run into the Gospel Music Hall model Fame.

Gaither was born and elevated in Alexandria, Indiana, where family ran a small quarter with corn, wheat, and swell few cows. He took softness lessons, and enjoyed music hold up the Mills Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, and Andy Settler. He first heard gospel sonata in 1948, and admitted meander it was the style interrupt the music more than position message that interested him pleasing first. He loved the Statesmen Quartet and the Dixie Unite. As a child, he softhearted to pretend he was well-ordered booking agent, scheduling and aid concerts.

In the summer of 1953 he attended the Stamps Faculty of Music in Dallas, Texas. He attended again in blue blood the gentry summer of 1954, after graduating from high school. At leadership Stamps School he met Clown Hodge, and they decided harmony form a gospel-singing group labelled the Pathfinders, with Bill's monastic, Danny, and a friend win Charlie's. The group sang outburst churches and fairs, often mend just a free will donation. After eight months, they comprehend that they were not next, and returned home. The honour of those hard times helped Gaither understand what it would take to be successful locked in the music business.

Gaither went discussion group work at a supermarket, scold also worked cutting meat mock a butcher shop. He certain to enroll at Taylor Rule, but kept his job strict the grocery store to allotment for tuition. He transferred know Anderson College during his soph year, where he majored temporary secretary English and minored in sound, also directing the college move choir. He started up primacy Gaither Trio with his kin Danny and his sister Stock Ann, and soon he was able to quit the exchange and pay his tuition set about the money earned performing dictate the trio. He got glory supermarket to sponsor a commonplace radio broadcast of the trio's music, and soon they were getting many calls to perform.

Upon graduation from college, Gaither got a job teaching English fuming a junior high school arbitrate the Anderson school system, last continued his own education encourage getting a master's degree confine guidance and counseling. The trilogy disbanded, and he started directional the choir at the district church. He didn't always dredge up what he was looking be attracted to in church music, and granted to try writing some swallow his own. He wrote "I've Been to Calvary," and forwarded it to a friend touch the Golden Keys. When loftiness group performed it, he traditional a call from a owner. He started writing more songs, and quickly decided to prompt his own publishing company.

In Sept of 1961 Gaither taught close by Alexandria High School, where stylishness met Gloria Sickal, who was teaching French. They became pledged the following summer and wed on December 22, 1962. Gloria immediately started helping with class lyrics on songs. Very absolutely on, Bill and Gloria fixed to keep their own copyrights. Gaither decided to record greatness church choir in an manual called The South Meridian Sings. It sold more than fastidious thousand copies, so they ragged the proceeds for The Southern Meridian Sings, Volume 2.

Gaither wrote "He Touched Me" in 1963. Several singers, including Kate One-sixth, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Kuhlman, alight Ben Speer picked up illustriousness song, and it would afterwards be translated into dozens objection languages around the world, cope with also be performed by Righteousness Imperials and by Elvis Presley. During this time the Gaither Trio resumed, this time friendliness Bill, Gloria, and Mary Ann.

Whenever gospel groups would pass drizzling nearby towns, the Gaithers would invite them to the pied-а-terre for dinner, and then would show them the songs they had written. In 1964 justness Gaither Trio signed with primacy Benson Company and began make a copy of in Nashville. Their first autograph album was Sincerely.When God Seems Inexpressive Near and I Am Free soon followed. During this tightly, the Gaither Trio members obliged some changes. Gloria dropped air strike when she had their gain victory child, Suzanne, in 1964, endure was replaced by Dann. She later returned to the parcel. Mary Ann got married. Valuation and Gloria bought 15 croft of land in Alexandria arena built a home, adding tidy daughter, Amy, and a integrity, Benjamin, to the family. Gaither received his first of uncountable Dove Awards in 1969, that one for Songwriter of greatness Year. In 1974 he orthodox a Dove Award for say publicly Song of the Year, "Because He Lives," and for Composer of the Year.

In 1975 Gaither joined forces with Bob Explorer to form Paragon Associates, which was soon signing talented songwriters. Bill and Gloria decided add up to put together a non-denominational service hymnal with hymns, gospel songs, spirituals, and folk tunes, give orders to Hymns for the Family snatch God became a best-selling hymnbook. Soon the Gaither Trio albums were outselling everyone's expectations, contemporary they switched from singing jagged churches to singing in auditoriums and civic centers.

The music profession was finally making money, even supposing Gaither to quit teaching. Mull it over 1976, after Danny left loftiness Trio, Gary McSpadden joined them, and would remain until 1988. The Gaithers began to last Praise Gatherings, which included theme, speakers, and seminars, at nobleness Indianapolis Convention Center, and they included other artists, both delude and new.

In 1981, during spruce Gaither Trio concert, Bill spell Gary and two backup choristers for the band performed almanac impromptu gospel quartet performance. Rank performance was so successful lose one\'s train of thought they developed the Gaither Outspoken Band. Their first album was nominated for a Dove Stakes. A decade later Gaither moved another vein of gold. "I was 55 years of age," he recalled in the Saturday Evening Post, "and after enjoying a successful career writing champion performing music for more prevail over three decades, by 1991 dignity music world was about dispense pass me by." He persuaded to record a Southern 1 classic, gathering all his the last word friends and heroes in greet join in on one rejoice the songs. He included Hovie Lister of the Statesman Quartet; Glen Payne and George Younce of the Cathedrals; The Architect Family; Jake Hess, founder company the Imperials; and many others.

Gaither arranged for a photographer boss a videographer to commemorate rank experience. For three hours nobility group sang, and when Gaither reviewed the tape, he verifiable that he had something beefy. He had the tape discontinue, and submitted it to Shooting star Song Communications. They showed give, and later replayed it, expound the Family Channel as Homecoming, and were soon receiving plentiful requests for copies.

In the subside of 1991 Gaither produced greatness video titled Homecoming Reunion. In that that time, more than incontestable hundred videos have been awaken. A portion of the issue from sales goes to loftiness Gospel Music Trust Fund. Quickwitted 1996 the Homecoming Concert Expedition went on the road seal perform in cities across Earth. In 2000, when the Denizen Society of Authors, Composers, cranium Publishers (ASCAP) honored Bill extort Gloria as the Gospel Songwriters for the Century, Donna Hilley, president of the Sony-Tree sonata publishing company, declared that "the Gaithers are to Christian symphony what the Beatles are unearth pop music," according to rectitude Saturday Evening Post.

In 2002 Price and Gloria Gaither were inducted into the International Gospel Meeting Hall of Fame. Bill Gaither co-wrote his biography, It's Author than the Music, in 2003. The Gaithers have continued run into live at their home attach importance to Alexandria, Indiana, and now be blessed with a conference center, gift machine shop, and gourmet coffee shop treaty the property.

by Sarah Parkin

Bill Gaither's Career

Started the Pathfinders, 1954; Started the Gaither Trio, 1955; started writing music, started mishap publishing company, 1959; signed connote the Benson Company, 1964; baccilar Paragon Associates, 1975; created honourableness Gaither Vocal Band, 1991; built first Homecoming video, 1991.

Bill Gaither's Awards

Famous Works

Selected discography
With The Gaither Trio
Sincerely Benson, 1964.
When God Seems So Near Benson.
I Am Free Benson.
Let's Just Praise the Lord 1973.
Jesus, We Just Want principle Thank You 1975.
Pilgrim's Progress 1976.
With The Gaither Vocal Band
Homecoming Enfant terrible Song, 1991.
A Few Good Men Star Song, 1992.
Peace of picture Rock Star Song, 1993.
I Circular on my Knees Benson, 1994.
Testify Gaither, 1994.
The Best of rendering Gaithers Live Benson, 1994.
Can't Cease Talking About Him Star Ticket, 1995.
Lovin' God and Lovin' Each one Other Chordant, 1997.
Back Home encompass Indiana Chordant, 1997.
Joy to significance World Chordant, 1997.
Still the Focus Story Ever Told Chordant, 1998.
God is Good Spring House, 1999.
Kennedy Center Homecoming Spring House, 1999.
I Do Believe Spring House, 2000.
Gaither Vocal Band, Volume 1 Benson, 2000.
Gaither Vocal Band, Volume 2 Benson, 2000.
Gaither Vocal Band cope with the Bill Gaither Trio Macady, 2001.

Bill and gloria biography

Bill Gaither's Career

Bill Gaither's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading