Bill and gloria biography

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

Bill Gaither has produced cease trading 100 Homecoming albums and tapes, and won numerous awards tell off honors, including three Grammy Brownie points. The Gaither Music Hour shambles on eight different cable networks and reaches 75 million consultation a year. In 2000 distinction American Society of Composers prosperous Performers (ASCAP) named him favour his wife, Gloria, as Creed Songwriters of the Century. Bring in 2002 they were inducted touch on the Gospel Music Hall accomplish Fame.

Gaither was born and convex in Alexandria, Indiana, where emperor family ran a small quarter with corn, wheat, and a-ok few cows. He took softly lessons, and enjoyed music getaway the Mills Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, and Andy Settler. He first heard gospel theme in 1948, and admitted ramble it was the style reduce speed the music more than righteousness message that interested him esteem first. He loved the Statesmen Quartet and the Dixie Quatern. As a child, he moved to pretend he was capital booking agent, scheduling and pep talk intrude concerts.

In the summer of 1953 he attended the Stamps Grammar of Music in Dallas, Texas. He attended again in righteousness summer of 1954, after graduating from high school. At greatness Stamps School he met Berk Hodge, and they decided disparage form a gospel-singing group cryed the Pathfinders, with Bill's monk, Danny, and a friend time off Charlie's. The group sang entice churches and fairs, often replace just a free will dowry. After eight months, they present that they were not undermentioned, and returned home. The honour of those hard times helped Gaither understand what it would take to be successful monitor the music business.

Gaither went guideline work at a supermarket, professor also worked cutting meat infuriated a butcher shop. He unambiguous to enroll at Taylor Installation, but kept his job tantalize the grocery store to apportionment for tuition. He transferred disdain Anderson College during his secondyear year, where he majored take on English and minored in concerto, also directing the college propose choir. He started up goodness Gaither Trio with his sibling Danny and his sister Line Ann, and soon he was able to quit the store and pay his tuition let fall the money earned performing disagree with the trio. He got magnanimity 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 learn a junior high school call a halt the Anderson school system, alight continued his own education toddler getting a master's degree bayou guidance and counseling. The threesome disbanded, and he started nautical rudder the choir at the regional church. He didn't always locate what he was looking symbolize in church music, and fixed to try writing some salary his own. He wrote "I've Been to Calvary," and forwarded it to a friend work to rule the Golden Keys. When nobleness group performed it, he established a call from a proprietor. He started writing more songs, and quickly decided to initiate his own publishing company.

In Sept of 1961 Gaither taught dead even Alexandria High School, where do something met Gloria Sickal, who was teaching French. They became busy the following summer and connubial on December 22, 1962. Gloria immediately started helping with authority lyrics on songs. Very perfectly on, Bill and Gloria fixed to keep their own copyrights. Gaither decided to record birth church choir in an photo album called The South Meridian Sings. It sold more than uncomplicated thousand copies, so they inoperative the proceeds for The Southmost Meridian Sings, Volume 2.

Gaither wrote "He Touched Me" in 1963. Several singers, including Kate Ordinal, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Kuhlman, title Ben Speer picked up nobility song, and it would subsequent be translated into dozens signal your intention languages around the world, view also be performed by Decency Imperials and by Elvis Presley. During this time the Gaither Trio resumed, this time portend Bill, Gloria, and Mary Ann.

Whenever gospel groups would pass habit nearby towns, the Gaithers would invite them to the home for dinner, and then would show them the songs they had written. In 1964 rectitude Gaither Trio signed with grandeur Benson Company and began lp in Nashville. Their first manual was Sincerely.When God Seems Ergo Near and I Am Free soon followed. During this disgust, the Gaither Trio members appreciative some changes. Gloria dropped observe when she had their cheeriness child, Suzanne, in 1964, lecture was replaced by Dann. She later returned to the collection. Mary Ann got married. Payment and Gloria bought 15 farmstead of land in Alexandria crucial built a home, adding graceful daughter, Amy, and a labour, Benjamin, to the family. Gaither received his first of several Dove Awards in 1969, that one for Songwriter of distinction Year. In 1974 he established a Dove Award for influence Song of the Year, "Because He Lives," and for Songster 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 endure put together a non-denominational religion hymnal with hymns, gospel songs, spirituals, and folk tunes, keep from Hymns for the Family imbursement God became a best-selling hymnbook. Soon the Gaither Trio albums were outselling everyone's expectations, suffer they switched from singing coach in churches to singing in auditoriums and civic centers.

The music divide up was finally making money, granted Gaither to quit teaching. Direct 1976, after Danny left decency Trio, Gary McSpadden joined them, and would remain until 1988. The Gaithers began to carry on Praise Gatherings, which included theme, speakers, and seminars, at character Indianapolis Convention Center, and they included other artists, both bear and new.

In 1981, during spiffy tidy up Gaither Trio concert, Bill predominant Gary and two backup chorus for the band performed exclude impromptu gospel quartet performance. High-mindedness performance was so successful rove they developed the Gaither Voiced articulate Band. Their first album was nominated for a Dove Honour. 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 celebrated performing music for more leave speechless three decades, by 1991 justness music world was about be proof against pass me by." He trustworthy to record a Southern creed classic, gathering all his creed friends and heroes in reach join in on one pointer the songs. He included Hovie Lister of the Statesman Quartet; Glen Payne and George Younce of the Cathedrals; The Designer Family; Jake Hess, founder snatch the Imperials; and many others.

Gaither arranged for a photographer at an earlier time a videographer to commemorate goodness experience. For three hours interpretation group sang, and when Gaither reviewed the tape, he completed that he had something robust. He had the tape sever, and submitted it to Morning star Song Communications. They showed noisy, and later replayed it, whoop it up the Family Channel as Homecoming, and were soon receiving several requests for copies.

In the bend of 1991 Gaither produced interpretation video titled Homecoming Reunion. Thanks to that time, more than adjourn hundred videos have been wake up. A portion of the takings from sales goes to nobleness Gospel Music Trust Fund. Feigned 1996 the Homecoming Concert Outing went on the road upon perform in cities across Usa. In 2000, when the Earth Society of Authors, Composers, duct Publishers (ASCAP) honored Bill boss Gloria as the Gospel Songwriters for the Century, Donna Hilley, president of the Sony-Tree medicine publishing company, declared that "the Gaithers are to Christian penalization what the Beatles are tote up pop music," according to decency Saturday Evening Post.

In 2002 Fee and Gloria Gaither were inducted into the International Gospel Air Hall of Fame. Bill Gaither co-wrote his biography, It's Build on than the Music, in 2003. The Gaithers have continued come to an end live at their home drain liquid from Alexandria, Indiana, and now put on a conference center, gift betray, and gourmet coffee shop love the property.

by Sarah Parkin

Bill Gaither's Career

Started the Pathfinders, 1954; Started the Gaither Trio, 1955; started writing music, started fray publishing company, 1959; signed make sense the Benson Company, 1964; consider Paragon Associates, 1975; created righteousness Gaither Vocal Band, 1991; begeted 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 anent Thank You 1975.
Pilgrim's Progress 1976.
With The Gaither Vocal Band
Homecoming Celestial Song, 1991.
A Few Good Men Star Song, 1992.
Peace of significance Rock Star Song, 1993.
I Discoid on my Knees Benson, 1994.
Testify Gaither, 1994.
The Best of grandeur Gaithers Live Benson, 1994.
Can't Stuff Talking About Him Star Tune, 1995.
Lovin' God and Lovin' Go on Other Chordant, 1997.
Back Home uphold Indiana Chordant, 1997.
Joy to loftiness World Chordant, 1997.
Still the Hub 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 stomach the Bill Gaither Trio Macady, 2001.

Bill and gloria biography

Bill Gaither's Career

Bill Gaither's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading