Bill Gaither

Bill Gaither stands among the pivotal creators in twentieth-century Christian music. As a singer and songwriter he first drew notice through the Bill Gaither Trio during the early 1970s, then reached wider renown in the following decade chiefly via the Gaither Homecoming series of videos and recordings that gathered Southern gospel performers. Across those years and long afterward he composed hundreds of gospel songs, most often alongside his wife Gloria, among them the enduring standard “He Touched Me,” while issuing dozens of albums under the Trio, the Gaither Vocal Band, or the Homecoming banner. The depth of that achievement led to the Bill Gaither Trio’s 1999 induction into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame; by 2004 the Homecoming tour was matching the box-office draws of Fleetwood Mac and Elton John. Beyond performing, Gaither helped establish the inspirational label Chapel Hill Music Group, later renamed Spring Hill.

His path began modestly on a farm near Alexandria, Indiana, where he was born on March 28, 1936 and remained throughout his life. While enrolled at Anderson University he formed the Bill Gaither Trio in 1956 with siblings Danny and Mary Ann. After graduating in 1959 he taught English, and in 1962 he married Gloria Sickal; Danny’s subsequent move to Ohio brought Gloria into the group. At evangelist Dr. Dale Oldham’s suggestion the following year, Gaither wrote “He Touched Me.” The song gained traction after Doug Oldham and the Trio recorded it in 1964; the Imperials’ 1965 version reached Elvis Presley, who included it on a 1971 release. Balancing classroom duties with music proved unsustainable, so in 1967 Gaither turned fully to his musical work.

Although the Trio had begun issuing albums regularly in 1966, its commercial breakthrough came with the 1973 release of Let’s Just Praise the Lord, honored with the Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance in 1974; two years later Jesus, We Just Want to Thank You earned the same award. The group later received its Hall of Fame recognition in 1999.

During the 1980s the Trio continued to record, yet Gaither concentrated chiefly on the Gaither Vocal Band. Launched in 1981 as the New Gaither Vocal Band—the name carried by its self-titled debut—the ensemble maintained a fluid roster that included future CCM artists Michael English, Jonathan Pierce, David Phelps, and Mark Lowry. Dropping “New” early on, the group maintained a steady release schedule, never exceeding three years between projects, and collected seventeen Dove Awards plus Grammys in 1991 for Homecoming and in 2009 for Lovin’ Life, both in the Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel, or Bluegrass Gospel Album category.

Gaither’s next major venture began in 1991 when the Vocal Band’s album Homecoming incorporated additional Southern gospel figures. Footage of the guests and band members sharing stories and songs was issued as a video that became a major success, establishing the recurring Homecoming format of mixing veteran, established, and emerging artists in conversation and performance. The series generated a regular concert tour by 1996; subsequent live dates appeared on cruises, and the videos were adapted for syndicated television.

Into the twenty-first century Gaither introduced no further ventures, instead sustaining both Homecoming and the Vocal Band. Each remained active well into the 2010s while Bill and Gloria continued to reside in Alexandria, Indiana.