Bill Gaither

Bill Gaither was born on March 28, 1936, in Alexandria, Indiana. In 1956, while still a college student, he formed his first musical group, the Bill Gaither Trio. He worked as an English teacher before transitioning to a full-time career in the Christian music industry in 1967.

Gaither married Gloria Sickal in 1962, and the couple became long-term songwriting and performing partners. Together they wrote many songs that became standards in Southern gospel and contemporary Christian music, including “He Touched Me,” “Because He Lives,” “The King Is Coming,” “Something Beautiful,” “It Is Finished,” “There’s Something About That Name,” and “Let’s Just Praise The Lord.” In 1980, Gaither founded and began leading the Gaither Vocal Band. He also founded the Gaither Music Company, an organization that oversees record production, concert booking, and copyright management. He helped organize the first Gospel Music Association Dove Awards ceremony in 1969.

Gaither’s contributions to gospel music have been widely recognized. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1983 and into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1997. He earned the title of Gospel Music Association “Songwriter of the Year” eight times. In 2000, he and Gloria were named “Songwriter of the Century” by ASCAP. In 2023, Gaither released the album Love Songs.