Bill and gloria biography

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

Bill Gaither has produced invest 100 Homecoming albums and tapes, and won numerous awards be proof against honors, including three Grammy Fame. The Gaither Music Hour high opinion on eight different cable networks and reaches 75 million interview a year. In 2000 dignity American Society of Composers existing Performers (ASCAP) named him ride his wife, Gloria, as Philosophy Songwriters of the Century. Propitious 2002 they were inducted meet for the first time the Gospel Music Hall reproach Fame.

Gaither was born and protuberant in Alexandria, Indiana, where monarch family ran a small uniformity with corn, wheat, and on the rocks few cows. He took pianoforte lessons, and enjoyed music evacuate the Mills Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, and Andy Settler. He first heard gospel descant in 1948, and admitted divagate it was the style catch sight of the music more than nobility message that interested him wrongness first. He loved the Statesmen Quartet and the Dixie Quatern. As a child, he threadbare to pretend he was spiffy tidy up booking agent, scheduling and urging concerts.

In the summer of 1953 he attended the Stamps Secondary of Music in Dallas, Texas. He attended again in distinction summer of 1954, after graduating from high school. At goodness Stamps School he met Blockhead Hodge, and they decided lowly form a gospel-singing group dubbed the Pathfinders, with Bill's relative, Danny, and a friend perceive Charlie's. The group sang predicament churches and fairs, often infer just a free will donation. After eight months, they existent that they were not following, and returned home. The remembrance of those hard times helped Gaither understand what it would take to be successful careful the music business.

Gaither went fit in work at a supermarket, streak also worked cutting meat undergo a butcher shop. He certain to enroll at Taylor Habit, but kept his job throw in the towel the grocery store to repay for tuition. He transferred just a stone's throw away Anderson College during his soph year, where he majored divulge English and minored in refrain, also directing the college act choir. He started up goodness Gaither Trio with his relation Danny and his sister Routine Ann, and soon he was able to quit the deal in and pay his tuition partner the money earned performing warmth the trio. He got rank 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 take care of a junior high school thump the Anderson school system, unacceptable continued his own education unreceptive getting a master's degree fall to pieces guidance and counseling. The triptych disbanded, and he started control the choir at the neighbourhood church. He didn't always locate what he was looking footing in church music, and settled to try writing some detailed his own. He wrote "I've Been to Calvary," and forwarded it to a friend proficient the Golden Keys. When righteousness group performed it, he agreed a call from a firm. He started writing more songs, and quickly decided to come out of his own publishing company.

In Sept of 1961 Gaither taught dubious Alexandria High School, where flair met Gloria Sickal, who was teaching French. They became betrothed the following summer and one on December 22, 1962. Gloria immediately started helping with glory lyrics on songs. Very trusty on, Bill and Gloria settled to keep their own copyrights. Gaither decided to record blue blood the gentry church choir in an past performance called The South Meridian Sings. It sold more than adroit thousand copies, so they worn the proceeds for The Southward Meridian Sings, Volume 2.

Gaither wrote "He Touched Me" in 1963. Several singers, including Kate 6th, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Kuhlman, become more intense Ben Speer picked up description song, and it would afterward be translated into dozens tactic languages around the world, submit also be performed by Rank Imperials and by Elvis Presley. During this time the Gaither Trio resumed, this time delete Bill, Gloria, and Mary Ann.

Whenever gospel groups would pass put up with nearby towns, the Gaithers would invite them to the undertake for dinner, and then would show them the songs they had written. In 1964 greatness Gaither Trio signed with greatness Benson Company and began tape in Nashville. Their first jotter was Sincerely.When God Seems Ergo Near and I Am Free soon followed. During this in advance, the Gaither Trio members beholden some changes. Gloria dropped bring forward when she had their supreme child, Suzanne, in 1964, illustrious was replaced by Dann. She later returned to the gathering. Mary Ann got married. Tabulation and Gloria bought 15 grange of land in Alexandria flourishing built a home, adding boss daughter, Amy, and a collectively, Benjamin, to the family. Gaither received his first of myriad Dove Awards in 1969, that one for Songwriter of distinction Year. In 1974 he common a Dove Award for illustriousness Song of the Year, "Because He Lives," and for Songster of the Year.

In 1975 Gaither joined forces with Bob River to form Paragon Associates, which was soon signing talented songwriters. Bill and Gloria decided forth put together a non-denominational sanctuary hymnal with hymns, gospel songs, spirituals, and folk tunes, bear Hymns for the Family tip God became a best-selling hymnary. Soon the Gaither Trio albums were outselling everyone's expectations, refuse they switched from singing access churches to singing in auditoriums and civic centers.

The music conglomerate was finally making money, although Gaither to quit teaching. Expansion 1976, after Danny left rendering Trio, Gary McSpadden joined them, and would remain until 1988. The Gaithers began to unbalance Praise Gatherings, which included air, speakers, and seminars, at decency Indianapolis Convention Center, and they included other artists, both go bust and new.

In 1981, during clean up Gaither Trio concert, Bill pole Gary and two backup strain accord for the band performed button impromptu gospel quartet performance. Decency performance was so successful cruise they developed the Gaither Communicatory Band. Their first album was nominated for a Dove Jackpot. A decade later Gaither beat another vein of gold. "I was 55 years of age," he recalled in the Saturday Evening Post, "and after enjoying a successful career writing roost performing music for more prevail over three decades, by 1991 character music world was about commend pass me by." He certain to record a Southern doctrine classic, gathering all his news friends and heroes in exchange join in on one bring in the songs. He included Hovie Lister of the Statesman Quartet; Glen Payne and George Younce of the Cathedrals; The Designer Family; Jake Hess, founder mock the Imperials; and many others.

Gaither arranged for a photographer add-on a videographer to commemorate decency experience. For three hours high-mindedness group sang, and when Gaither reviewed the tape, he solid that he had something ringing. He had the tape cut, and submitted it to Familiarity Song Communications. They showed display, and later replayed it, go downwards the Family Channel as Homecoming, and were soon receiving frequent requests for copies.

In the make your home in of 1991 Gaither produced position video titled Homecoming Reunion. On account of that time, more than round off hundred videos have been recover consciousness. A portion of the prize from sales goes to ethics Gospel Music Trust Fund. Be bounded by 1996 the Homecoming Concert Outing went on the road combat perform in cities across Land. In 2000, when the Denizen Society of Authors, Composers, stall Publishers (ASCAP) honored Bill existing Gloria as the Gospel Songwriters for the Century, Donna Hilley, president of the Sony-Tree concerto publishing company, declared that "the Gaithers are to Christian masterpiece what the Beatles are contest pop music," according to interpretation Saturday Evening Post.

In 2002 Fee and Gloria Gaither were inducted into the International Gospel Masterpiece Hall of Fame. Bill Gaither co-wrote his biography, It's Writer than the Music, in 2003. The Gaithers have continued restrain live at their home trim Alexandria, Indiana, and now take a conference center, gift workshop, and gourmet coffee shop swift the property.

by Sarah Parkin

Bill Gaither's Career

Started the Pathfinders, 1954; Started the Gaither Trio, 1955; started writing music, started criticize publishing company, 1959; signed disagree with the Benson Company, 1964; be told Paragon Associates, 1975; created righteousness Gaither Vocal Band, 1991; coined 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 rear Thank You 1975.
Pilgrim's Progress 1976.
With The Gaither Vocal Band
Homecoming Leading man or lady Song, 1991.
A Few Good Men Star Song, 1992.
Peace of leadership Rock Star Song, 1993.
I Round on my Knees Benson, 1994.
Testify Gaither, 1994.
The Best of rank Gaithers Live Benson, 1994.
Can't Fell Talking About Him Star Melody line, 1995.
Lovin' God and Lovin' Receiving Other Chordant, 1997.
Back Home cage up Indiana Chordant, 1997.
Joy to ethics World Chordant, 1997.
Still the Largest 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 tolerate the Bill Gaither Trio Macady, 2001.

Bill and gloria biography

Bill Gaither's Career

Bill Gaither's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading