Gloria Gaither

Gloria Gaither

Gaither and his wife, Gloria, in Sept. 2016
Background information
Birth name Gloria Lee Sickal
Born (1942-03-04) March 4, 1942
Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
Genres Christian music
Occupation(s) Songwriter (lyricist), author, screenwriter, speaker
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1962–present
Associated acts Bill Gaither
Bill Gaither Trio
Website www.gaither.com

Gloria Gaither (born March 4, 1942) is a Christian songwriter, author, speaker, editor, and academic. She is the wife of Bill Gaither and together they have written more than 700 songs. She performed, traveled and recorded with the Bill Gaither Trio from 1965 through 1985. Since 1990, she has served as a performer, recording artist, songwriter, scriptwriter and narrator for the Gaither Homecoming series of television broadcasts, video and DVD releases, and audio recordings.

Early years

She was born Gloria Lee Sickal in 1942 in Michigan, a daughter of Pastor Lee Sickal and Dorothy Sickal. She spent most of her childhood and high school career in the Battle Creek area of Michigan, working a brief time for the Kellogg Company.

Education

When Sickal graduated from Clare High School in Clare, Michigan,[1] she attended Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana. There, she triple majored in English, French, and Sociology. Her extracurricular activities at the college included participation in the Drama Club[2] and Alpha Chi National College Honor Society[3] and Sigma Tau Delta honor society.[1]

Upon her graduation, she took a job at Alexandria Monroe High School as a French teacher. There, she met Bill Gaither, who was teaching English at the time. She married Gaither in 1962, and they began writing songs recreationally.

In 1991, she attended Ball State University and received a Master of Arts in British and American Literature. She taught as an adjunct professor at Anderson University in 1987–88 and 1996–97.

Career

Bill and Gloria Gaither began writing songs in the 1960s, and many those songs (including "Because He Lives", "I Am Loved", "Something Beautiful") would go on to become church hymn book standards across North America and around the world. By the end of the 1960s, Gloria, Bill, and Bill's brother Danny Gaither were touring steadily as the Bill Gaither Trio, singing and recording songs Bill and Gloria had written. After touring with the Bill Gaither Trio for nearly twenty years, Gaither drew her focus to the Gaither Homecoming series. She has been an active presence in every video production.

In 1996, she spearheaded the creation of Gaither Family Resources[4] in Alexandria, Indiana, and currently serves as co-owner and managing director. In 2002, Gaither launched Homecoming: The Magazine,[5] and she currently acts as writer, interviewer, and contributing editor.

In 2000, Bill and Gloria were named Christian Songwriters of the Century by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP),[6] an award based on the songwriters who have had the most songs recorded over the past 100 years. Gloria is the recipient of seven honorary doctorate degrees, and she is the author of more than 40 books including 20 children's books.

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "Gloria Gaither". Indiana, Alexandria. The Alexandria Times-Tribune. July 23, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved March 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "(photo caption)". Indiana, Anderson. Anderson Herald. December 11, 1959. p. 9. Retrieved March 10, 2016 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  3. ↑ "(Photo caption)". Indiana, Anderson. Anderson Herald. May 18, 1962. p. 14. Retrieved March 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "gaitherfamilyresources.net". gaitherfamilyresources.net. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  5. ↑ "Homecoming Magazine Subscription". Magazine.homecomingmagazine.com. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  6. ↑ "Top Acts, Execs Gather in Nashville For Gospel Music Week". Billboard. May 27, 2000. p. 22. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  7. ↑ http://www.indwes.edu/news/2010/World-Changer-Convocation.htm
  8. ↑ "Indiana Wesleyan University to Honor Gaithers". The Wesleyan Church. March 16, 2010.

External links

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