Gospel Music Hall of Famer comes to Lucas County Arena

Bill Gaither in concert in Toledo in November, 2008. Enlarge

The Lucas County Arena will get a double dose of gospel music next weekend, hosting two Christian concerts featuring music that, stylistically, are about as far apart as the East is from the West.

Before Toby Mac, Skillet, and House of Heroes roll in with their high-powered amplifiers and smoke machines for their Awake Tonight tour stop on March 21, Gospel Music Hall of Famer Bill Gaither will start things off on Saturday with his legendary Gaither Homecoming Tour.

He will lead his vocal quintet, the Gaither Vocal Band, featuring David Phelps, Mark Lowry, and Wes Hampton. Michael English had been touring with the GVB but underwent back surgery on March 4 and, according to Gaither's Web site, guest artists will be filling in for English until he is ready to go back on the road.

Also scheduled on the Gaither Homecoming Tour are Buddy Greene, Russ Taff, the Isaacs, Charlotte and Guy Ritchie, Lynda Randle, Gordon Mote, Gene McDonald, and Kevin Williams.

Gaither, who turns 74 this month, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1983, and in 2000 he and his wife, Gloria, were named Christian Songwriters of the Century by ASCAP.

Among the Gaithers' most famous compositions are "He Touched Me," which was recorded by Elvis Presley, "The King Is Coming," "Let's Just Praise the Lord," and "There's Just Something About that Name."

In 1991, in either a twist of fate or divine intervention, Gaither turned on a video camera during a studio session he had organized to honor some of his gospel music heroes.

That homespun video, featuring such legendary artists as J.D. Sumner, Jake Hess, Hovie Lister, and Howard and Vestal Goodman, became a gospel music phenomenon, launching a series of Gaither Homecoming videos and albums that have sold more than 20 million copies.

He last performed in Toledo in November, 2008, in a sold-out concert at the SeaGate Convention Centre.

Toby Mac, a Christian rock and hip-hop artist who will be performing in Toledo the night after the classic sound of the Gaithers, said Bill Gaither has been an inspiration to him.

"Of course it seems like a mismatch, but believe it or not he's one of my mentors, and for a very specific reason," Toby said in an interview. "He's a guy that's come across and kind of helped develop a lot of talent, and one of the things that inspires me about Bill Gaither is that he always holds onto that talent lightly."

Toby, who works with a broad range of musicians and heads his own label, Gotee Records, said he strives to be like Gaither and give artists a chance to get started and to help them when they're ready to go out on their own.

"I've always said that the people that walk with me, whenever they're ready to do their own thing, I want to be a guy that holds on loosely and encourages them just like Bill Gaither has done with those amazingly talented people that got their start with him."

The Gaither Homecoming Tour performs at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Lucas County Arena. Tickets are $29.50 and $39.50, available at all Ticketmaster outlets and the arena box office, 419-321-5007.

Contact David Yonke at:

dyonke@theblade.com or

419-724-6154.