Bill Gaither - I believe that anything that can communicate the gospel is good. It's come in all kinds of forms from the very beginning. We like to think that our gospel music, the southern gospel, which I grew up with, was unique and different by itself. But if you were listening to the radio in those days, a lot of those tunes sounded like the things that were on secular radio, they just had Christian words to them. In fact, there was a song back in the 50's called "The Gospel Boogie" and they were doing boogie-woogie in nightclubs. This is not the first generation that has used music that they've heard from other sources.
Kim - Something that I encounter much more frequently than I'd like to is people that are very bound by the traditionalism that they point fingers, not just at the music itself, but also at the people that perform it. To me that is so sad because God created all music.
Bill Gaither - Yeah - and they should get out more! (laughs) It's a big world out there and there's a lot of people doing it differently from the way that I do it, and you know what? They're reaching people. They're reaching a generation that I would never reach, so I say 'God bless them'.
Kim - Amen!
Bill Gaither - You know what, you're right. Finger pointing is never, I think, of God. Because I know that Scripture "Judgment is mine, sayeth the Lord". When we get out of the judgment business and just get into the being business, the being what God wants us to be, it will take care of itself. I get weary of the finger pointing also.
Kim - Yes sir. It's sad and it doesn't reflect well on Christianity as a whole.
Bill Gaither - Jake Hess used to sing a song called "Don't Point Your Fingers at Somebody Else Unless Your Hands Are Clean". It was a fun tune that they used to sing. (Sings ... Don't point your fingers at somebody else unless your hands are clean). The last time I was in Columbus I was there for Jake's funeral. It was a sad day, but quite a joyful occasion to sing a saint into Heaven.
Kim - Yes sir. You formed your first band, the Bill Gaither Trio, in 1956 - which means that you've been doing this for 48 years. Where do you see Christian music in another 10 years?
Bill Gaither - I don't know. I've always just remained open and I do what I feel that I ought to do. If I live another 10 years, I assume that I'll be doing just a little bit of the same thing that I'm doing now. I enjoy what I do, so we'll see.
Kim - Isn't it such a blessing to be able to do what you love?
Bill Gaither - I've been very blessed.
Kim - What advice could you give to young musicians starting out in the music ministry today?
Bill Gaither - I would probably tell them to go to college. I think that it's important to get a good liberal arts background and I'd prefer a Christian liberal arts college if they could find one close to them. And take some classes in history and theology and poetry and English ... and get themselves a good literary background.
Kim - You taught English and Gloria taught French. I can imagine some of your songwriting sessions. When you write, do you decide "today's going to be a day to write" or does God sort of tap you on the shoulder and say "Bill, today's a song writing day"?
Bill Gaither - No, writing comes out of everyday living. Something comes up and you feel like you need to write about it, but it's not designated as a songwriting day. I suppose, after the fact, if you wrote a song you could call it a songwriting day. I've been blessed to do what I do. As long as we've been able to do it and feel as though the Lord is in it, and to work with the kind of people that we've been able to work with ... I've been blessed. And also to have wonderful folks like you, playing and talking about our music even when we're not there, it's a real blessing. I don't know how much longer I'll be doing this. At least up until now, this has been a great journey and a great trip.
