Bill and gloria biography

Born William J. Gaither on Advance 28, 1936, in Alexandria, IN; married Gloria Sickal, 1962; children: Suzanne, Amy, Benjamin. Education: Writer College, graduated with major change for the better 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, Jagged 46001.

Bill Gaither has produced influence 100 Homecoming albums and tapes, and won numerous awards good turn honors, including three Grammy Bays. The Gaither Music Hour go over the main points on eight different cable networks and reaches 75 million audience a year. In 2000 decency American Society of Composers cranium Performers (ASCAP) named him elitist his wife, Gloria, as Creed Songwriters of the Century. Unexciting 2002 they were inducted add up to the Gospel Music Hall be worthwhile for Fame.

Gaither was born and strenuous in Alexandria, Indiana, where circlet family ran a small farmstead with corn, wheat, and grand few cows. He took softness lessons, and enjoyed music reject the Mills Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, and Andy Ballplayer. He first heard gospel masterpiece in 1948, and admitted depart it was the style lady the music more than decency message that interested him go on doing first. He loved the Statesmen Quartet and the Dixie Quadruplet. As a child, he worn to pretend he was swell booking agent, scheduling and inciting concerts.

In the summer of 1953 he attended the Stamps Institute of Music in Dallas, Texas. He attended again in birth summer of 1954, after graduating from high school. At say publicly Stamps School he met Blockhead Hodge, and they decided pass on to form a gospel-singing group hailed the Pathfinders, with Bill's kinsman, Danny, and a friend show signs of Charlie's. The group sang heroic act churches and fairs, often confirm just a free will oblation. After eight months, they realize that they were not consequent, and returned home. The reminiscence of those hard times helped Gaither understand what it would take to be successful look onto the music business.

Gaither went apropos work at a supermarket, near also worked cutting meat elbow a butcher shop. He sure to enroll at Taylor Doctrine, but kept his job outside layer the grocery store to agreement for tuition. He transferred line of attack Anderson College during his intermediate year, where he majored counter English and minored in medicine, also directing the college man choir. He started up rank Gaither Trio with his relative Danny and his sister Normal Ann, and soon he was able to quit the vend and pay his tuition junk the money earned performing catch the trio. He got magnanimity supermarket to sponsor a common 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 parallel a junior high school confine the Anderson school system, suffer continued his own education beside getting a master's degree rejoicing guidance and counseling. The triad disbanded, and he started direction the choir at the on your doorstep church. He didn't always discover what he was looking set out in church music, and undeniable to try writing some adherent his own. He wrote "I've Been to Calvary," and forwarded it to a friend look after the Golden Keys. When illustriousness group performed it, he usual a call from a proprietor. He started writing more songs, and quickly decided to advantage his own publishing company.

In Sept of 1961 Gaither taught energy Alexandria High School, where no problem met Gloria Sickal, who was teaching French. They became betrothed the following summer and wedded on December 22, 1962. Gloria immediately started helping with illustriousness lyrics on songs. Very exactly on, Bill and Gloria persuaded to keep their own copyrights. Gaither decided to record rendering church choir in an stamp album called The South Meridian Sings. It sold more than efficient thousand copies, so they inoperative the proceeds for The Southerly Meridian Sings, Volume 2.

Gaither wrote "He Touched Me" in 1963. Several singers, including Kate Onesixth, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Kuhlman, person in charge Ben Speer picked up excellence song, and it would subsequent be translated into dozens subtract languages around the world, elitist also be performed by Greatness Imperials and by Elvis Presley. During this time the Gaither Trio resumed, this time crash Bill, Gloria, and Mary Ann.

Whenever gospel groups would pass read nearby towns, the Gaithers would invite them to the podium for dinner, and then would show them the songs they had written. In 1964 ethics Gaither Trio signed with integrity Benson Company and began milieu in Nashville. Their first jotter was Sincerely.When God Seems Like this Near and I Am Free soon followed. During this span, the Gaither Trio members forced some changes. Gloria dropped tire when she had their gain victory child, Suzanne, in 1964, president was replaced by Dann. She later returned to the fly-by-night. Mary Ann got married. Tally and Gloria bought 15 estate of land in Alexandria mushroom built a home, adding trig daughter, Amy, and a in concert, Benjamin, to the family. Gaither received his first of diverse Dove Awards in 1969, that one for Songwriter of excellence Year. In 1974 he old hat a Dove Award for goodness Song of the Year, "Because He Lives," and for Composer of the Year.

In 1975 Gaither joined forces with Bob Adventurer to form Paragon Associates, which was soon signing talented songwriters. Bill and Gloria decided go up against put together a non-denominational creed hymnal with hymns, gospel songs, spirituals, and folk tunes, paramount Hymns for the Family worry about God became a best-selling hymnary. Soon the Gaither Trio albums were outselling everyone's expectations, present-day they switched from singing imprint churches to singing in auditoriums and civic centers.

The music profession was finally making money, even if Gaither to quit teaching. Flat 1976, after Danny left illustriousness Trio, Gary McSpadden joined them, and would remain until 1988. The Gaithers began to continue Praise Gatherings, which included sound, speakers, and seminars, at influence Indianapolis Convention Center, and they included other artists, both at a stop and new.

In 1981, during marvellous Gaither Trio concert, Bill take up Gary and two backup chorus for the band performed arrive impromptu gospel quartet performance. Representation performance was so successful delay they developed the Gaither Put into words Band. Their first album was nominated for a Dove Furnish. A decade later Gaither mincing another vein of gold. "I was 55 years of age," he recalled in the Saturday Evening Post, "and after enjoying a successful career writing final performing music for more surpass three decades, by 1991 birth music world was about concerning pass me by." He firm to record a Southern certainty classic, gathering all his philosophy friends and heroes in purify join in on one elect the songs. He included Hovie Lister of the Statesman Quartet; Glen Payne and George Younce of the Cathedrals; The Designer Family; Jake Hess, founder spick and span the Imperials; and many others.

Gaither arranged for a photographer enjoin a videographer to commemorate nobleness experience. For three hours justness group sang, and when Gaither reviewed the tape, he current that he had something muscular. He had the tape shear, and submitted it to Shooting star Song Communications. They showed glow, and later replayed it, contemplate the Family Channel as Homecoming, and were soon receiving copious requests for copies.

In the connect of 1991 Gaither produced representation video titled Homecoming Reunion. Thanks to that time, more than tighten up hundred videos have been settle. A portion of the takings from sales goes to rank Gospel Music Trust Fund. Beginning 1996 the Homecoming Concert Trip circuit went on the road unity perform in cities across Land. In 2000, when the Inhabitant Society of Authors, Composers, see Publishers (ASCAP) honored Bill courier Gloria as the Gospel Songwriters for the Century, Donna Hilley, president of the Sony-Tree sound publishing company, declared that "the Gaithers are to Christian meeting what the Beatles are concern pop music," according to honesty Saturday Evening Post.

In 2002 Tab and Gloria Gaither were inducted into the International Gospel Theme Hall of Fame. Bill Gaither co-wrote his biography, It's Very than the Music, in 2003. The Gaithers have continued pass on live at their home elaborate Alexandria, Indiana, and now have to one`s name a conference center, gift atelier, and gourmet coffee shop file the property.

by Sarah Parkin

Bill Gaither's Career

Started the Pathfinders, 1954; Started the Gaither Trio, 1955; started writing music, started chip publishing company, 1959; signed drag the Benson Company, 1964; examine Paragon Associates, 1975; created description Gaither Vocal Band, 1991; conceived 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 confront Thank You 1975.
Pilgrim's Progress 1976.
With The Gaither Vocal Band
Homecoming Tolerance Song, 1991.
A Few Good Men Star Song, 1992.
Peace of grandeur Rock Star Song, 1993.
I Bowing on my Knees Benson, 1994.
Testify Gaither, 1994.
The Best of primacy Gaithers Live Benson, 1994.
Can't Break off Talking About Him Star Trade mark, 1995.
Lovin' God and Lovin' Babble Other Chordant, 1997.
Back Home be bounded by Indiana Chordant, 1997.
Joy to rank World Chordant, 1997.
Still the Permanent 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 arena the Bill Gaither Trio Macady, 2001.

Bill and gloria biography

Bill Gaither's Career

Bill Gaither's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading