Gaither Vocal Band

Bill Gaither recalls saying these words back in January, 1981, to an audience at the Bill GaitherTrio’s concert in Florida’s Jacksonville Coliseum directly after intermission. Bill, fellow Trio member Gary McSpadden, and backup singers Steve Green and Lee Young had been singing around the piano backstage for fun as they would often do, revisiting the four-part harmony songs of the southern gospel vocal groups that had inspired Bill to sing and write songs in the first place. But this night the backstage jam sounded particularly incredible, Bill remembered. Why don’t we have some fun? Gaither said as the group readied its return. Let’s tell the audience that we’re premiering a new group tonight, and see how they respond. And so began the Gaither Vocal Band. They debuted that night with the southern gospel classic "Your First Day in Heaven," and although it wasn’t a southern gospel crowd, the response was so wild they had to sing it a second time. But the Gaither Vocal Band wasn’t purely southern gospel; indeed, the band's name was chosen in part because it didn't lock them into any specific configura-tion in what was then a changing Christian music scene. A contemporary Christian music mix of pop and rock was emerging. While the Gaither Vocal Band resembled the classic southern gospel groups of Gaither’s youth, it was something entirely new unto itself. Still, it soon became the high-lighto f the Bill Gaither Trio’s shows.

A list of the singers who have graced the Gaither Vocal Band includes the greatest male vocalists in contemporary Christian music—make that contemporary music, period: Besides McSpadden, Green, and Young, the Gaither Vocal Band has included the luminous likes of Jon Mohr, Larnelle Harris, Michael English, Mark Lowry, Buddy Mullins, Jim Murray, Jonathan Pierce, Terry Franklin, and Russ Taff on up through the most recent quartet starring Guy Penrod, David Phelps, and Marshall Hall—and, of course, Bill Gaither himself.

Discography

A Cappella

Low Down the Chariot Leave It There / What A Friend We Have In Jesus When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Delivered from the Hands of Pharoah He Will Carry You Jesus! What A Friend for Sinners Sing A Song / I'd Like To Teach the World to Sing Center of My Joy Heaven's Joy Awaits God Bless America I Then Shall Live Gentle Shepherd

All-male quartet the Gaither Vocal Band, winners of 4 Grammys and many other awards, give us only pictures of themselves in the liner notes of "A Cappella," the fact that this is part of the "Gaither Gospel Series" and the lyrics to these beautiful, inspirational songs. Several of these 12 songs are originals, "I Then Shall Live" with words by Gloria Gaither, and "Center of My Joy" and "Gentle Shepherd" with words by Gloria and music by William Gaither. Other favorites are "Delivered From the Hands of Pharoah," "Low Down the Chariot," "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "Jesus! What A Friend for Sinners," "He Will Carry You" and Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." Simple, powerful harmonies, heartfelt faith, beautiful words, arrangements and music—this is some of the best Contemporary Christian/Gospel we have heard!

Listen to "Low Down the Chariot" in RealAudio.

A Cappella Songbook

No embellishment, no instrumentation, no distractions. Just the pure beauty of four distinct voices converging into one seamless blend where the songs and the harmony take center stage. The Gaither Vocal Band returns to the basics in their first ever A Cappella project, a showcase of richly melodic songs framed by new arrangements. Features the arrangements of every song on the same named CD

2849 SONGBOOK $19.98

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