Southern Gospel Music icon Bill Gaither stands alone among artists in the Christian music field. In 2005 he sold more tickets to his concerts around the world than most secular artists, including such stars as Elton John and Rod Stewart. His music videos have reached #1 on Billboard Magazine's best-seller list at least a dozen times, meaning that his sales have consistently reached gold, platinum, and multi-platinum status.
Gaither insists that his whopping success came quite by accident and that he is just doing what he loves to do.
His story would certainly bear that out.
From humble Indiana beginnings, William J. Gaither developed a knack for music-making and songwriting at an early age. He formed a trio in the mid-50s called 'The Bill Gaither Trio,' which had limited success in the early years. He graduated college and began teaching high school English, where he met his future wife, Gloria.
Gloria began singing in the Trio and became a collaborator with Bill in the writing of Gospel songs. One of their first major successes was a song that became a Gospel standard, 'He Touched Me,' which has been recorded by such varied artists as Elvis Pressley and Loretta Lynn. From there the couple went on to write over 600 Gospel songs, many of which became standards that are found in numerous church hymnals across the country today, including, 'Because He Lives,' 'The King is Coming,' and 'It Is Finished.'
Meanwhile, the Bill Gaither Trio was beginning to gain recognition across the country with its unique sound featuring Bill and Gloria, and Bill's brother, Danny Gaither. As Gaither's songs gained popularity, the Trio's popularity began to spread, and by the 1970s they were singing to sold-out audiences across the country.
In the early 1980s Gaither had a brainstorm that was born out of his lifelong love for four-part male harmony. Stating that he always wanted to sing in a male Gospel quartet, he formed 'The Gaither Vocal Band,' which began singing in the Trio's concerts. They were a smashing success, and once again Gaither found himself enjoying brisk sales not only of the Trio's music but of the Vocal Band's as well.
During the 1980s Gaither was instrumental in launching the careers of various artists who went on to become stars in the Gospel field, such as Sandi Patti, Steve Green, and many more.
Then, in the early 1990s Gaither once again stumbled onto a goldmine quite by accident and arising out of his love for the great Southern Gospel groups that had been a large part of his formative years as a boy. He invited some of those Gospel pioneers to his recording studio for an informal get-together, which he wanted videotaped as a keepsake for posterity.
Little did he know that this gathering would become a history-making phenomenon. It turned out that as word got around that this tape existed, there were many people who were just as enamored with these Gospel greats as was Gaither. Gaither began producing the videos and marketing them to retail stores. Sales exploded. Soon people all over the country were watching the videos that contained scenes of such Gospel music legends as Jake Hess and Hovie Lister of the Statesmen Quartet, James Blackwood of the Blackwood Brothers, Eva Mae Lefevre, Glen Payne and George Younce of the Cathedral Quartet, Howard and Vestal Goodman of the Happy Goodman Family, and many more.
Soon more videos followed as the fans demanded more. Gospel icons such as The Florida Boys, the Speers, J.D. Sumner (the famous bass vocalist who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the lowest bass in the world), Dottie Rambo, and many others.
These videos became so popular that stores everywhere had trouble keeping their shelves stocked. Gaither began a national television program based upon the videos called, 'Bill Gaither's Homecoming Friends.' The program boasts a weekly audience of 80 million viewers.
Since 1994 Gaither has taken the Homecoming group on the road, playing to sold out houses all over the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York City and most of the largest music arenas and concert halls in the world.
At the age of 70 Gaither says he has no intention of slowing down. No one can blame him. When one is fortunate enough to do what they love, why quit?
After all, as Gaither says, 'We're having a lot of fun.'
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