Original subtitles

Bill Gaither presents:

featuring musical guests:

Good-bye, world, good-bye.

Now, don`t you weep for me when l`m gone,

`cause l won`t have to leave here alone.

But thank God, l`ll be gone on home.

Canaanland is just in sight.

There will be no sorrow.

He purchased me.

And many more of your Gospel favorites...

including...

Since you heard an old convention song.

An old convention song.

Hello, everybody.

My name is Ralph Emery, and with a friend of mine,

we`re going to take you through some very warm,

heartwarming, inspirational moments that l think you`ll enjoy.

Certainly going to be worth your while to stick around.

l`m going to spend some time with Bill Gaither.

ln more than 30 years as a pianist, composer, and producer,

he`s received three Grammys, 20 Dove Awards,

and the first gold record ever awarded to an inspirational album.

And rightfully so, in 1 983, he was inducted

into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Bill, welcome.

Ralph, you`re a friend, and it`s good to be here.

Thank you.

l`ll thank you for coming.

And this all started by accident, didn`t it?

lt really did.

About five years ago or so, we--the Vocal Band--

we were going to do a special album.

We said, ``Let`s go back to our roots.``

So we wanted to do the stuff from the early Southern Gospel days.

And on this one song in particular--

``Where Could l Go but to the Lord?``--

we said, ``Let`s call in our heroes,

some of the great pioneers of Gospel music.``

And we did.

And it`s like the movie the ``Field of Dreams.``

We built it, and they did come:

Vestal, Jake, Howard and Hovie, and James, J.D., Glen, and George, Eva Mae.

And we did the one song that morning

in a recording studio here at the Master`s Touch here in Nashville.

When we got done with the one song,

``Where could l go but to the Lord?`` we had lunch.

At this point, you`re done, right?

Yeah, that`s all we wanted.

The publicist wanted to get a picture of us around a piano--

just a glossy picture--and so we said, ``Well, let`s eat lunch first.

Then we`ll go and take the picture.``

And so we went in to the piano to take the picture,

and they took the picture, and while we were there,

Larry and Rudy Gatlin had stopped by,

and they were also part of this group.

Eva Mae was sitting at the piano,

and Larry said, ``Eva Mae, play something.``

And she did.

She played one of those old great Gospel songs,

and we all applauded and had a good time.

Then they said, ``Let`s sing `l`ll Meet You in the Morning,`

Albert Brumley`s great old song,``

so we started singing that.

That song led to another song, led to another song.

They said, ``We better video some of this,

``because maybe we can get a second here

``or a couple seconds here or three,

``maybe in a warm embrace that we could use

``in `Where could l go but to the Lord?```

And they did.

And then they finished that one song, the four-minute song.

And after that, l said, ``What are you going to do with that footage?``

And they said, ``Well, l guess we`ll throw it away.

We got what we wanted.``

l said, ``Can l see it?`` ``Yeah.``

l took it home, and Gloria and l sat there and watched that

and laughed and cried and said, ``This is wonderful.

``These are my friends.

``You know, these are my heroes, and could l do something with this?``

So l had a friend at the university there,

at Anderson University, and l said, ``Can we just go through

``and see if we can make something out of this

``just for me and a few people that might feel like l do

about--feel the affection l feel for these folks?``

So we made it,

not knowing that a bunch of folks would like it,

and a bunch across the country did like it.

Since you made this just for a few friends,

close friends, how did the first video,

called ``Homecoming`` by the Gaither Vocal Band--

how did that become well-known to people

who would like to have a copy?

Some of the stations started playing it.

And they played the one tune,

and then some networks even aired the entire thing,

and l never intended it to be of network quality.

lt was really, basically, a home video

for the, you know, avid fan such as me.

And it caught on, and it caught on in a big way,

but it all started with this one song.

All right, you`re going to see a lot of very familiar people

as they sing ``Where Could l Go but to the Lord?``

Living below,

in this old sinful world,

hardly a comfort can afford.

Striving alone to face temptations sore,

brother, let me tell you,

where could l go but to the Lord?

Where could l go?

Oh, where could l go,

seeking a refuge for my soul?

Needing a friend to help me in the end,

brother, won`t you tell me?

Where could l go but to the Lord?

Neighbors are kind.

l love them, every one.

We get along in sweet accord.

But when my soul needs manna from above,

where could l go but to the Lord?

Where could l go?

Oh, where could l go,

seeking a refuge for my soul?

Needing a friend to help me in the end,

where could l go but to the Lord?

Life here is grand with friends l love so dear.

Comfort l get from God`s own word.

But when l face this chilling hand of death,

where could l go but to the Lord?

Oh, where could l go?

Could l go?

Oh, where could l go?

Could l go?

Seeking a refuge for my soul?

Needing a friend to help me in the end,

oh, won`t you tell me,

where could l go but to the Lord?

Where could l go but to the Lord?

Where could l go but to the Lord?

The Lord.

Your first television show on this network

took place from the old Ryman Auditorium,

downtown Nashville--

at one time, home of the Grand Ole Opry,

and we`re going to take our next video from that.

You talk about a reunion.

l mean, just the spirit of that building

and the chance of being in that building once again

was very exciting to them.

Rex Nelon is going to do the bass part here,

and if you`ll look just to the left of Rex,

about two people over,

you have a Grand Ole Opry star, Connie Smith.

Connie Smith.

This was your debut on TNN.

Yes.

And Bill wanted this right here,

because he wanted a lot of energy at this point in the program.

l`ve told all my troubles good-bye.

Good-bye to each tear and each sigh.

This world where l roam cannot be my home.

l`m bound for a land in the sky.

l walk and l talk with my Lord.

l feast every day on His word.

Heaven is near, and l can`t stay here.

Good-bye, world, good-bye.

Now, don`t you weep for me when l`m gone,

`cause l won`t have to leave here alone.

And when l hear that last trumpet sound,

my feet won`t stay on the ground.

l`m gonna rise with a shout, gonna fly.

l`m gonna ride with my Lord through the sky.

Heaven is near, and l can`t stay here.

Good-bye, world, good-bye.

l won`t have the blues anymore when l step across to that shore.

And l`ll never pine, for l`ll leave behind

my heartaches and tears evermore.

A day, maybe two, then good-bye.

Tomorrow l`ll rise up and fly.

Heaven is near, and l can`t stay here.

Good-bye, world, good-bye.

Now, don`t you weep for me when l`m gone,

`cause l won`t have to leave here alone.

And when l hear that last trumpet sound,

my feet won`t stay on the ground,

on the ground.

l`m gonna rise with a shout, gonna fly.

l`m gonna ride with my Lord through the sky.

Heaven is near, and l can`t stay here.

Good-bye, world, good-bye, world.

Good-bye.

Good-bye!

Bill, l think we`re going to get a little dose here

of some Cathedral singing,

and they`re going to sing about a phenomenon

that l suppose took place a long time ago,

and that`s convention singing.

What was that all about?

Well, l`m not a specialist on this,

and every time l talk about it,

l`m usually telling you more than l know.

But from what l understand, back in the early days,

there were publishing companies like the Vaughn Publishing Company,

Stamps-Baxter Publishing Company,

and later on, there were a lot of different convention leaders,

but those were the two big ones.

And they would, every six months-- January and June--

come out with a whole bunch of new songs.

And convention singing had a lot of counterparts in it

like, let`s see.

Oh, happy day,

oh, happy day that fixed my choice.

And the bass and the tenor and the alto and the lead

would go in all different kinds of directions,

but they would finally come--

when they`d get back to the end of the song:

da, wooo.

There would all be that four-part, nice harmony,

and we`d all feel as though we`d all come home.

And, now, that`s a layman`s view of what convention singing`s all about,

but the Cathedral Quartet, in this one song--

and this was on ``The Sweetest Song l Know`` video,

which was a video about convention music--

kind of helped spell out what a convention song is all about.

And we`re going to hear from brother George Younce.

And he`s--they`re all going to tell us.

We used to come from miles around,

have dinner on the ground

underneath those old shade trees

and sing the old songs in shaped notes

in four-part harmony,

like ``He Set Me Free`` and ``He`ll Pilot Me``

and ``Anywhere is Home.``

How long has it been

since you heard an old convention song?

l still love to hear those old convention songs

that l heard as a child as we sang them all day long,

like ``l`m a-Gonna Walk`` and ``Just a Little Talk``

and ``All the Day Long.``

How long has it been

since you heard an old convention song?

Gospel songs today have a lot to say.

They lift you up when you`re feeling down.

Some have a country flavor;

some have a modern sound.

They all serve the need of planting seeds,

so l know they can`t go wrong.

Still, there`s none so dear as when l hear

an old convention song.

l still love to hear those old convention songs

that l heard as a child

as we sang them all day long,

like ``l`m a-gonna Walk`` and ``Just a Little Talk``

and ``All the Day Long.``

How long has it been since you heard an old convention song?

How long has it been

since you heard ``After a While``?

How long since you heard ``Give the World a Smile``?

How long since you heard

``l`m Wingin` My Way Back Home``?

How long has it been

since you heard an old convention song?

How long has it been

since you heard an old convention song?

An old convention song.

Bill, are you always in control out there on stage?

l think l am.

l mean, you arrange everything.

You bring all those folks in,

in some cases, tell them where to sit;

in some cases, what to sing, so you`re the boss.

But let me show you something.

We had in Doris Akers, who wrote such great songs

as ``Sweet Jesus,`` ``Sweet, Sweet Spirit``:

there`s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place.

And as a kid, l just thought there was nobody like Doris,

and for her to come to our place and sing--

so l wanted to play for her,

because l thought l knew this song.

So she started it off.

l just started doing:

There`s a name that`s dear to me.

And she started--

Wait; let`s let the video show them what happened.

Okay, okay. Yeah, okay.

There`s a name that`s dear to me.

Lifted me...

Took me out of sin and shame.

This lady wasn`t too enamored of your piano playing.

Was she something else?

l guess that wasn`t rehearsed, was it, Bill?

No, no, no. You know what?

You can`t script things like that,

and that`s what makes these things so much fun.

This is one of your boyhood moments that didn`t work out.

l was going to play for this great lady.

l`m thinking about so many of your dreams

of working with all these greats of Gospel music

have come into fruition, except for that one.

That one didn`t quite work, did it?

Bill, you know from my discussions with you about this program

that l love the video coming up.

l didn`t know this young man.

Still don`t, but l loved his work--Randy Phillips.

He`s part of a group, a contemporary group,

called Phillips, Craig, and Dean.

But he is from Texas, and l forget--

maybe Austin, Texas--

and his father pastors in a Pentecostal church down there,

and his roots are in Gospel music.

And so when he knew we were doing this,

he said, ``Bill, l`d love to be a part of that,``

so he came up and sang for us.

He wrote this particular song that we`re going to do.

And as l look around at the reaction of your regulars--

a little strangeness there, Bill.

Oh, yeah.

And by the way, there`s one thing l noticed, too,

in listening to this video.

Whoever`s doing the voices, that`s really pretty,

but this is basically fun,

and for the first time on television anywhere,

you`re going to see Bill dance.

This is called ``Hotel Hallelu.``

One night while l was praying,

the spirit carried me away

to a land of praise and worship

far beyond the Milky Way.

l saw a crystal palace

filled with laughter and with light.

lt said, ``Hotel Hallelujah,`` and ``We`re open day and night.``

Walked into the lobby, welcomed by an angel host.

He said, ``We have rooms of love and peace

in the Holy Ghost.``

l heard a choir singing like l`ve never heard before.

Lord, those high praises lifted me up off the floor.

Before l knew it, my feet began to dance.

Look out.

l felt so fine, l had to clap my hands.

Oh, l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

l said, l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

Well, you can check out if you please.

l don`t ever want to leave the Hotel Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

l went down to the restaurant,

thought l`d get a bite to eat.

The chef said,

``Fruits of the spirit are our specialty.

``We have manna made in Heaven,

``bread of life freshly baked.

For your entertainment, our choir will serenade.``

Before l knew it, my feet began to dance.

Look out.

Said l felt so fine, l had to clap my hands.

Hey, l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

Have you ever been there?

l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

Well, you can check out if you please.

l don`t ever want to leave the Hotel Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah, halle--

well, you can dance all night, if you please.

Shout and sing, ``l`m free.``

Hey, you won`t disturb the peace.

No, you won`t.

Your neighbor is the Holy Ghost.

You know He never sleeps.

Before l knew it, my feet began to dance.

Said l felt so fine, l had to clap my hands.

Come here, Bill.

Hey, l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

Come here, Bill.

l said, l checked in to Hotel Hallelu.

Well, you can check out if you please.

l don`t ever want to leave the Hotel Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Halle--

lt`s time for me to get you right now.

Before l knew it, my feet began to dance.

Come on, feet.

Felt so fine, l had to clap my hands.

Hallelu.

Did you check in to Hotel Hallelu?

You can check out if you please.

l don`t ever want to leave the Hotel Hallelujah.

Halle--

Said you can check out if you please.

l don`t ever want to leave the Hotel Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelu.

Oh, yeah.

Bill, l want to ask you about something else.

As l watch the videos-- as l have worked with you--

l`ve noticed there`s a mixture here

of Southern Gospel and black Gospel music.

l think it`s really hard to separate,

especially in church music.

l think both the white church has influenced the black church

and vice versa.

The black church has certainly influenced

what has gone on in the white church.

Jessy Dixon is an unusual performer.

He`s already had a stellar career in the black Gospel music field,

plus he`s traveled with Paul Simon.

He`s been all over the world, and he`s a good friend.

So he happened to come down to one session

because he`d seen it on television

and said, ``Bill, l`d like to be a part of that.``

And the joy of having Jessy there is,

he brings his music with him,

and he was basically teaching this particular song to these people.

l think they had sung it before,

but they had never sung it quite like the way Jessy sings it.

l`m going where the wicked shall cease their troubling,

and the weary shall be at rest.

And all of the saints of the ages

are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed.

l`m, l`m just a stranger down here.

This old world is not my home.

You`re gonna get up, looking for Jessy one morning,

but thank God, l`ll be goin` on home.

The wicked shall cease their troubling.

The weary shall be at rest.

And all of the saints of the ages

are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed.

lf you,

if you should ever come to my home,

and when you got there,

they told you, ``Jessy`s gone,``

come on over, come on over the river.

You`ll find me somewhere around God`s throne!

The wicked shall cease their troubling.

The weary shall be at rest.

All of the saints of the ages

will sit at His feet and be blessed.

We`re gonna try on our long white robes,

and then we will sit at His feet and be blessed.

l`ll see my mother, my father, my sister, my brother,

and we will sit at His feet and be blessed.

All of the saints of the ages

will sit at His feet and be blessed.

Their troubling.

We`re going where the weary shall be at rest,

and all of the saints of the ages

are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed.

There`s another verse here.

Listen.

l don`t mind a few lies being told on me.

l don`t mind being abused and scorned.

You didn`t hear that.

`Cause every time

they tell somethin` that`s not true on me,

that`s another brick in my brand-new home,

where the wicked shall cease their troubling,

the weary shall be at rest,

and all of the saints of the ages

are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed,

are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed.

We`re gonna see the saints of the ages.

Are gonna sit at His feet and be blessed.

Oh, yeah.

He`s good, isn`t he?

l like Jessy.

Question: who was the director of the choir?

Geron Davis from Alexandria, Louisiana.

Does he work with Jessy?

No, he directs a choir down there in Louisiana,

and he`s a good musician.

He`s written a lot of good songs.

l suppose his most famous song is

``We`re Standing on Holy Ground.``

Well, the natural question is, why aren`t you directing the choir?

`Cause he`s better than l am.

Oh, okay.

An honest man.

Cynthia Clawson`s got a beautiful voice,

and l noticed that you`ve included among these tapes

a performance that she did: ``The Sweetest Song l Know.``

Well, this particular song comes from the video

called ``The Sweetest Song l Know.``

Excuse me, it`s ``lt Won`t Always Rain.``

Gloria and l wrote this song with our good friend Aaron Wilburn.

We got this quote from a Jessie Jackson speech

when he was encouraging people to say, ``Keep your heads up.

There`s a better day coming.``

And one of his phrases was, ``lt won`t rain always.``

And you know as a writer,

you have to write down phrases when you hear them.

We said, ``Man, what a great idea,`` so we wrote that.

Wait a minute.

l know Nashville songwriters that way:

``Let`s write that down.``

Find a good hook, and that was a good hook.

You know, the melody reminds me of an old tune called ``Lucky Old Sun.``

Remember that song?

Right.

lt was written in Nashville a long time ago.

Frankie Lane used to sing it.

Right.

One other question, Bill.

As this gets under way,

there`s another harmony voice that`s very pretty.

Who is that?

That`s the young lsaac girl, Sonya lsaac,

and l think Russ Taff is the other voice.

That`s a wonderful group, isn`t it?

Yeah. Well, l want you to listen.

This is called ``lt Won`t Always Rain,``

and Cynthia Clawson is going to sing it.

Someone said that in each life

some rain is bound to fall,

and each one sheds his share of tears,

and trouble troubles us all.

But the hurt can`t hurt forever,

and the tears are sure to dry,

and it won`t rain always.

The clouds will soon be gone.

The sun that they`ve been hiding

has been there all along,

and it won`t rain always.

God`s promises are true.

The son`s gonna shine in His own good time,

and He`s gonna see you through.

The son`s gonna shine in God`s own good time,

and He will see you through.

Bill, does anything ever go wrong?

l`ve got to tell you,

l`m referring to a particular video with J.D. Sumner.

Well, l didn`t know this, but l guess he just--

he doesn`t like the sound of a B-3 Hammond organ.

so we were singing this particular song,

and l said, ``J.D., when we put it down an octave,

you take the low parts, okay?``

But this B-3 player, who was a fantastic B-3 organist,

was helping him, playing along with him.

What he didn`t know-- the organist didn`t know is,

he was really bugging J.D., so watch here.

The organist on this second verse gets in his way,

and he`s taken it-- about all he can take--

and he finally reacts to it.

l may have doubts and fears.

My eyes may be filled with plenty tears.

Oh, but Jesus, He`s my friend,

and He watches day and night.

Oh, l go to Him in prayer.

He knows my every care.

Oh, and just that little talk with my Jesus,

Lord, it makes it all right.

Now let us...

have a little talk with Jesus.

Let us...

tell Him all about our troubles.

He will--

l don`t even know where we`re at.

l`ve left word not to have a organ at my funeral.

l hate it.

Now let us...

have a little talk with Jesus.

Let us...

tell him all about our troubles.

He will...

hear our faintest cry,

and He will...

answer by and by.

Now, when you...

feel a little prayer wheel turning,

and you...

know a little fire is burning,

you will...

have a little talk with Jesus; makes it right.

Bill, we`re going to play a video of--

a little tune called ``Crown Him King,``

and James Blackwood almost gets run over.

Well, this is--you know, we talked about convention music.

This is truly a convention tune.

ln fact, they even got music in their hands,

trying to follow along.

The younger people are having a little harder time,

but the older people know what they`re doing

and singing the notes as they are actually written.

But then, in the chorus, it becomes like a popcorn session,

everybody singing a part.

This came out a lot of fun.

The Savior left His sweet home above,

came to redeem by love,

wonderful heavenly dove.

Just think how He loved us,

dying upon the cross,

bearing the pain and loss.

What a great Savior is He,

our great and matchless Savior.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

Bow before Him. Magnify His name.

Let the whole world,

let the whole world His love proclaim

forever and forever.

Praise Him with joy, all ye people.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

And His great name, blessed name adore.

Crown Him, crown Him,

crown Him, crown Him King forever, evermore.

Let every heart His great name adore,

praising Him more and more for the cross that He bore.

How--just think how He loved us,

willing to die alone for our sins to atone.

What a great Savior is He,

our great and matchless Savior.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

Bow before Him. Magnify His name.

Let the whole world,

let the whole world His love proclaim

forever and forever.

Praise Him with joy, all ye people.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

And His great name, blessed name adore.

Crown Him, crown Him,

crown Him, crown Him King forever, evermore.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

Bow before Him. Magnify His name.

Let the whole world,

let the whole world His love proclaim

forever and forever.

Praise Him with joy, all ye people.

Sing His praises. Sing His praises.

And His great name, blessed name adore.

Crown Him, crown Him,

crown Him, crown Him King forever, evermore.

l want to move on to a contemporary Jake Hess now

in the video that spotlighted Jake.

lf anybody should sing this, he should sing it.

lt`s satire; it`s satire on death.

Yeah, yeah.

Does that go down well with all your fans?

Well, maybe not with everybody,

but, you know, the apostle Paul talks about

``Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory?``

And in a way, he`s pointing his finger at death also

and saying, ``lt ain`t no big deal if you have faith.``

And if l have ever met a man of faith,

Jake Hess is a man of faith,

because through all of those tough times--

and when we first started doing the videos,

the man only weighed 1 45 pounds.

He had 25% of a heart left.

He`d gone to Emory University,

and they basically said, ``We can`t help you.

``You`re just in too bad of shape.

You`re not even a candidate for a heart transplant.``

And yet, when you talked to him:

``How you feeling, Jake?``

``Nothing but fine. Nothing but fine.``

And so if anybody has the right to be humorous about this,

he`s been--truly he has been at death`s door

a couple, three times.

l think he`s in the best health now

he has been in, probably, in the last 1 0 or 1 5 years.

ls his weight up?

So he can do it with tongue-in-cheek.

He now weighs about 1 82 pounds.

The doctor said, ``Do not gain any more weight.``

But this is one of the earlier tapes when he wasn`t--

l suppose he weighed about 1 60 here,

but lately, if anybody`s seen him, he`s very healthy.

l can`t help but think he`s singing to me

a little tongue-in-cheek.

A little tongue-in-cheek, yes.

Someday when l breathe my final breath,

and the doctor takes one look and says, ``You`re dead,``

the truth is gonna finally be revealed.

Oh, l`m gonna find death ain`t no big deal.

He`ll reach down and gently close my eyes.

l`ll be watching from the other side.

l`ll be laughin` about how scared l thought l`d feel.

Oh, l`m gonna find death ain`t no big deal.

My soul is gonna be just like a bird set free.

l`ll sail right past the moon up to the stars.

And l know l`ll be amazed when l get to Heaven`s gate,

`cause l knew my way home by heart.

A light will shine much brighter than the sun,

and l`ll be right back where l started from.

Ain`t no way to say how good l`ll feel.

Oh, l tell you, children, death ain`t no big deal.

My soul is gonna be just like a bird set free.

l`ll sail right past the moon up to the stars.

And l know l`ll be amazed when l get to Heaven`s gate,

`cause l knew my way home by heart.

A light will shine much brighter than the sun,

and l`ll be right back where l started from.

Ain`t no way to say how good l`ll feel.

Oh, l tell you, children, death ain`t no big deal.

At thy precious feet l`m gonna kneel.

Oh, l thank you, Lord.

Death ain`t no... big deal.

You`ve got to have a lot of guts

to walk into a Bill Gaither concert unannounced

and sing your songs, but that happened, didn`t it?

The Fairfield Four is a classic black Gospel group,

and they sing a cappella.

And you talk about original-- this group is original.

Now, there are five people in the group.

l`m sure it started out as four.

But what is interesting about this clip

and this special moment is,

the other people were kind of watching

until they heard that bass start taking off,

and George Younce just goes crazy

when he hears this bass singer.

Yeah, he points at him.

Nearer to thee, l long to be.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l hope to shine with a love so blind.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

Oh, dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

Oh, l want to talk a little more

like my Jesus would.

l want to walk,

just like a Christian should.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to do what`s always true.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

Each passing hour, l want more power.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love.

Well, l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to talk.

l want to walk just like a Christian should.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

Oh, l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to talk.

l want to walk.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to talk just like Jesus would.

l want to walk just like a Christian should.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper in God`s love.

l want to dig a little deeper

in the storehouse of His love, eternal love.

l want to talk.

l want to walk.

l want to dig a little deeper in the storehouse of His love,

eternal love.

When this project first came up, when you first talked to me about it,

the first story you told me that you wanted to feature in this video

was the story of Rosie Rozell,

so why don`t you set this one up for me?

Rosie Rozell was the tenor of the Statesmen

for many, many years after Denver died,

l think in `57, `58.

He was there for the next 20 years,

and one of the songs he was most famous for

was a song called ``O What a Savior.``

This was the last taping where he attended,

and l think about three months later, he passed away,

but Rosie comes down on the last chorus.

Ben goes up in the bleachers and gets him

and brings him down for the last chorus,

and it`s quite an emotional moment.

lt`s one of those moments--

you capture as much as you can on the camera,

but for years to come, people will know about Rosie

because of this particular cut.

lt`s very moving to me, so let`s watch it.

Back in the `50s,

``O What a Savior`` was sung all across the country

by a young tenor named Rosie Rozell.

Today it is being sung by Dean Brown

because Rosie just did not feel well enough to sing it.

He did, however, join Dean later on the chorus.

Little did we know that this would be the last time

Rosie would sing this song.

He would pass on seven months later,

but you can feel the love and respect for Rosie and his life

in the room that day.

Death`s chilling waters l`ll soon be crossing.

His hand will lead me safe o`er.

l`ll join the chorus in that bright city,

and l`ll sing up there forever,

ever and ever and ever and ever and evermore.

O what a Savior.

O hallelujah.

His heart was broken on Calvary.

His hands were nail-scarred;

His side was riven.

He gave His life`s blood for even me.

O what a Savior.

O hallelujah.

His heart was broken on Calvary.

His hands were nail-scarred;

His side was riven.

He gave His life`s blood for even me.

Bill, l love the Cathedrals,

and l notice in one of your videos,

there was a special night for Glen Payne

celebrating 50 years, l guess, in show business,

or in Gospel music.

Glen is a favorite in the videos,

and he`s a favorite out there in the Gospel music field.

Glen originally started out in Dallas, Texas,

with the original Stamps Quartet.

Oh, did he?

He sang with Frank Stamps-- that was V.O.`s brother--

and he brings a lot of history to the field of Gospel music.

Went to Akron, Ohio.

Started singing with Rex Humbard up there

with the Weatherford Quartet at the Cathedral of Tomorrow.

Met his wife, Van.

They have three lovely children.

lt`s a great success story.

A wonderful family man.

ln fact, his record company, Homeland Records,

had an evening where they honored him for his 50 years.

And we`ll see part of this honor,

and then it will go into Glen, as only Glen can do,

singing the lead of the great song ``Canaanland.``

As you watch this, no one, l assure you,

is having more fun than Glen Payne.

Than Glen Payne. Correct.

l`m the richest man in the whole wide world.

Moses led God`s children.

40 years he led them

through the cold and through the night.

Though they said, ``Let`s turn back,``

Moses said, ``Keep going.

Canaanland is just in sight.``

There will be no sorrow there in that tomorrow.

We will be there by and by.

Milk and honey flowing.

There is where l`m going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

Though we walk through valleys,

though we climb high mountains,

we must not give up the fight.

We must be like Moses.

We got to keep on going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

There will be no sorrow there in that tomorrow.

We will be there by and by.

Milk and honey flowing.

There is where l`m going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

There will be no sorrow there in that tomorrow.

We will be there by and by.

Milk and honey flowing.

There is where l`m going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

Canaanland is just in sight.

Though we walk through valleys,

though we climb high mountains,

we must not give up the fight.

We must be like Moses.

We got to keep on going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

There will be no sorrow there in that tomorrow.

We will be there by and by.

Milk and honey flowing.

There is where l`m going.

Canaanland is just in sight.

Canaanland is just in sight.

lf nobody else has fun,

Glen`s going to have fun on his own.

There was one tribute there, by a friend of mine, Herman Harper,

who used to sing at the Grand Ole Opry.

Right.

And l remember Herman Harper used to book the Goodmans.

And he also booked the Cathedrals.

And he was a bass singer on with the Opry staff singers.

Nice man.

He was the original bass singer of the Oak Ridge Quartet.

l forgot about that.

He came in 1 950.

Bill, we`re going to talk about an old friend of mine here.

And you may not have known this,

but Rusty Goodman and l were pretty close at one time.

l used to play records all night on WSM radio,

and he must have been a big country music fan,

because he would just come up and sit in.

l didn`t play any Goodman records.

l didn`t play any Gospel records except Country Gospel,

but he would just pull up a chair and chat with us,

and we became good friends.

l knew him before l knew any of the other Goodmans.

But l believe, at one time, just before his life was over,

you had a tribute to him.

He battled cancer for several years,

and through that process--

you know, the insurance would only pay so much--

and we found out that he was suffering pretty much financially,

so a group of us got together.

l remember the first artist that l called was Amy Grant--

and called the office--

and in five minutes, she called back and said,

``Sure, l`ll help.``

l suppose we had 25 of the Who`s Who

in not only Southern Gospel but just in Christian music in general

come to Christ Church to do this benefit.

And Rusty was very much loved,

and you couldn`t even get in the parking lot.

The thing was jammed out two hours before.

And all the funds that night went to Rusty and his wife

to help them in this cause.

And we got more than enough, because people just loved the man.

Now, this was the same church

where you later did the ``Joy to the World`` Christmas special.

Christmas video, yeah.

Great church.

But the people came from all over.

ln fact, the three channels in Nashville said,

``Don`t go out l-65 because there`s a major traffic jam out there

because of the Rusty Goodman benefit.``

And that night, somebody had a home camera

and was taping some of the festivities that went on.

And Gloria did a wonderful tribute,

and after the tribute,

they sang the last song they would ever sing together.

And you`ll have to be patient,

because the video and the sound is not the greatest,

but l think you`ll catch the spirit of it.

lt starts out with an interview of Tanya, his daughter,

in one of our tapings, and then it goes to Christ Church.

But this is a special moment on the video called ``Old Friends.``

Tanya, l never saw your daddy that he didn`t say,

``Bill, let me sing you a song.``

And he`d get out his guitar

and sing a new song he`d be working on.

``What do you think of it?``

l`d say, ``Ah, pretty good, Rusty.``

He probably said, ``What do you mean, pretty good?

A songwriter has to write, don`t they?

Oh, yeah.

Have to get it out.

Do you miss him?

Oh, yeah, l miss him a lot.

Yeah, Michael and l were just talking the other night.

You know, he always loved to laugh too.

l mean, he would--

he always found something, you know, to laugh about,

even when we worked those dates that were like Lubbock.

No people?

Yeah, no people--three.

You know, and Michael and l were talking about something

the other day, and l said, ``Man, l miss Dad so much.``

And Michael said, ``Sometimes l just get mad at him

for going off and leaving us, you know?``

He said, ```Cause l miss nudging him and saying, man, you know?``

The laugh and joy and stuff.

You weren`t done with him yet, right?

That`s right.

We weren`t done with him yet.

What do you remember most when you think about your dad?

Especially today, it was days like this brought back so much,

because when--all my childhood, my family was traveling--

my father was traveling, and l stayed at home

with my mom and my sister and just went to school,

and we didn`t grow up on the road.

But the greatest treat for me was

when l would have a holiday from school or summer,

Dad would say, ``You want to get on the bus this weekend?``

Oh, l loved it.

l loved it, and when l sat here today,

and l heard those voices and those songs...

and l can remember, you know,

standing in the wings, holding my dad`s hand

and just enjoying that feeling and that emotion.

Lately, l`ve got leaving, leaving on my mind.

lnto such a world as this,

God sends his poets, prophets, troubadours

who see what we have missed,

who warn us, less we self-destruct,

and who fill the songless night with music.

They surround our alienation with love`s embrace.

They burn through the fog of our oblivion

with the piercing light of truth,

and they sing the dream back into our hearts.

They tune our ears to the laughter of children.

They raise our sights to lofty aspirations.

They help us discriminate between the tinsel and the true.

Poets are the contemplatives in the heart of the world.

Without them, we would settle

into the fatal monotony of our comfort zones

and accept the clouded vision of cataract perception.

Rusty Goodman is such a poet troubadour.

He sees and helps us to see what we might have missed.

He notices a grin in an elevator and puts value in a handshake.

He reminds the breaking heart that there is promise of the new dawn

and points out to us battle-weary soldiers

that we`re almost home.

When we`ve lost someone we love, Rusty,

you`ve told us of a greater love that we can never lose,

a love of our very own.

We found ourselves more than once, because of you,

singing at the top of our lungs, ``lf l could still,

l wouldn`t take nothing for my journey now.``

And even though we know that for a long time now,

you`ve had leaving on your mind,

we`re asking you to stay because we need

and this sick old world needs what you are to us:

a lover, a visionary, a dreamer, a poet.

We need you here to walk with us and sing your pilgrim`s song.

The memory l remember-- just being a young kid

and standing backstage

and hearing him sing those beautiful songs.

l remember--

l remember something stirring in me when l was a kid,

you know, that made me love that music too.

Made me want to sing, you know? Whoo.

And her dad would sing one last song with the family.

High up on a mountain from where He ascended,

an angel of the Lord declared that it would be.

He said,

``Don`t stand there grieving, for the one that you see leaving

in like manner`s coming back for you and me.``

Oh, l believe He`s coming back like He said.

l believe that a trumpet`s gonna sound so loud,

one day it`ll wake the dead.

ln the twinkling of an eye,

He`ll just split the eastern sky,

and l believe He`s coming back like He said.

And l believe He`s coming back like He said.

l want to include here, Bill, the new song.

When Bill showed up to sit with me,

he said, ``Hey, l`ve got another video featuring Jake Hess,

and Gloria and l wrote this song.``

lt was inspired by a man who used to perform

in this complex where we`re telecasting from--

the king of country music, Roy Acuff.

And ``Mr. Roy,`` as we called him--

as he got older, his sight got to be very difficult for him.

And you heard a story about him, didn`t you?

l heard this story, and l assume it`s true,

that after performing for many years out here at the new Opry house,

he wanted to go back to the old Ryman.

This was before they redid it.

lt was still the old boards,

and he wanted to go down there just to be around it again.

They loaded him in and drove him to the Opry.

He was old now and weary and very near blind.

They pulled into the alley that led to the stage door,

and they granted his last wish, just to be kind.

Many`s the time he stood by the curtain,

waiting his turn to walk out on the stage.

Thunderous applause once welcomed the entrance

of this old performer now crippled with age.

He leaned on them heavy as slowly they led him

through the back entrance and up to the ramp.

Then by some magic, his bent body straightened.

``l can make it from here now.

``l know where l am.

``Don`t worry `bout me. l know where l am now.

``Thanks for the hand, but now l can stand.

``l`ll walk on alone.

``The voices and faces, l know them all well now.

``l can hear; l can see.

``Don`t worry `bout me. l`m finally home.

``ln life`s travelin` road show, l`ve been a performer.

``When burdens were heavy, when days were too long,

``when there was a part for an old Gospel singer,

``when folks needed hope, l sang them my song.

``One of these days, someone will lead me

``through Heaven`s stage door and into the wings.

``There`ll be a place in that final performance.

``l know my part, and l`m ready to sing.

``Don`t worry `bout me. l know where l am now.

``Thanks for the hand, but now l can stand.

``l`ll walk on alone.

``The faces of loved ones, the voice of my Father,

``l can hear; l can see. Don`t worry `bout me.

``l`m finally home.

``l can hear; l can see. Don`t worry `bout me.

l`m finally home.``

As you get to know Bill and Gloria Gaither,

you realize that they are a team;

that she has the talent.

That`s what Mark Lowry says.

She`s got a great gift for putting words together.

She really does.

Most of the lyrics that we have done,

she`s done most of the lyrics.

This is about you and Gloria.

And it`s about Gloria, who says of herself

that she is an outsider who met you

and came into this world of Gospel music

and met all these crazy people who have since become her friends.

lt`s a beautiful piece. lt`s about your life.

You know, Ralph,

this was the second video that we did after ``Homecoming,``

and she wasn`t part of the ``Homecoming`` video,

because we didn`t know it was going to be a video.

And so the night before, l said, ``What do you want to do, honey?``

And as usual, she says, ``Oh, Bill, you don`t need me in this.``

``Yes, l do. l need your touch in it.``

And you are right.

She has always kind of felt like an outsider

to the Southern Gospel field.

She was born in Michigan,

and probably, had she not met this Gospel singer,

she`d have gone and got her doctorate

and been teaching English at Harvard or Yale or somewhere.

But she met this crazy character 36 years ago,

and we got married, continued teaching school,

and in the process, met this whole new world of people.

And she`s serious when she said,

``l didn`t know what a Denver Crumpler

``or an Asel Soward or a Walter Leverith or all these--

``l thought you were making up these names,

but l found out they were real, live people.``

Who proposed?

l think l did, and it was rather interesting.

Something in the back of my head said,

``if you let this one get away, you`re stupid.

You`re crazy.``

And l asked her to marry me,

and when she walked down the aisle,

l said to myself, ``l hope l`m doing the right thing.``

And she has said later, she said,

``when l looked at you, this burr-headed``--

she said l looked like a suede bowling ball up here--

that burr head--

``l hope l know what l`m doing,`` she said.

After 35 years, l think we have begun to figure out

what love is all about and what it means.

No, l don`t come from a Southern Gospel background.

l come from a northern evangelical background,

and l come from a church,

but l met this crazy world when l met this crazy man.

And probably most of you have noticed

while he`s dancing around here that this is the love of his life.

And l wrote down a few things about, l guess, him.

First time l heard about you

was from a college friend of mine who loved Gospel quartets

and had heard you and your brother and sister

sing at an all-night sing in Detroit.

When she found out l was going to be filling in

for a teacher who was ill at the high school where you taught,

she couldn`t wait for me to meet you

and then for me to get her a date with your brother.

l never did get her a date with your brother,

but l did fall in love with you,

and little did l know that this English teacher

with a crew cut and weird sense of humor--

we talked about politics and literature--

had another love, but l was soon to find out.

After we`d dated long enough, l knew that

this was more than just another special relationship.

And then you took me home to your parents` farm, where you lived,

and played me a couple of songs by a group called the Speer family.

After the song was through, you asked me what l thought.

l said, ``l like the songs,`` and you said you wrote them.

The songs were ``l`ve Been to Calvary``

and ``The Joy of Serving the Lord.``

Then you played me recordings by the Statesmen and the Blackwoods

and finally Jim Hill, singing ``Lovest Thou Me``

and ``The Old-fashioned Meeting.``

l asked if you wrote those songs, and you said you did.

After l passed my initiation,

we would often end our Saturday night dates

driving through the lndiana countryside

listening through the come-and-go reception

to see if Jay Basil Marlow played one of your songs

on his Gospel radio show.

Since Southern Gospel music was not a part of my heritage,

l had a lot to learn,

and you were a walking encyclopedia

of strange names, song titles, group personnel,

and all-night singing tour schedules.

You knew who played piano for the Rangers in 1 952,

what bass singer sang when for the Foggy River Boys,

and which tenors had ever sung with the Homeland Harmony Boys.

The names you rattled off, l was certain you made up,

but l was soon to learn that there really was someone

named Burl Strieval and Denver Crumpler.

But we began to write songs together

and soon to tell with one family combination or another

the story of what God was doing in our own lives.

Still you couldn`t resist

stopping by a Gospel sing somewhere now and then

to hear the Weatherfords or Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters,

the Statesmen, the Speer family, the Oak Ridge Boys,

or the Happy Goodman family.

You even promoted some in our area

and made me go with you to tack up posters and flyers

all over central lndiana

announcing a group called the lmperials

with Jake Hess and Henry Slaughter.

l`ll never forget the night our son was to be born.

l was in the first stages of labor,

but l had to hold off till you got home

from the all-night sing in lndianapolis,

where you had gone to hear just a few of the groups, you said,

and deliver some sheet music.

That night, l`ll have to admit--

Hey, wait a second.

George, you never did pay me for that sheet music.

That night, l`ll have to admit,

was not the night l loved Gospel music best.

Over the years, these names l thought you made up

came first to be real people to me and then precious friends.

Vestal and Howard Goodman, Brock and Faye Speer,

Hovie and Jake, Buck and Dottie Rambo,

Henry and Hazel Slaughter, and so many more

have become dear to us both.

l remember our holding our little Suzanne

by the seat of the pants

while her little legs danced up and down

on the back of our family room couch

to ``l Wouldn`t Take Nothin` for my Journey Now.``

And l couldn`t count the summer nights

when we`d pile all three of our kids, wrapped in blankets,

in the old red convertible

and drive out under the starry lndiana sky,

singing in family harmony, ``Jesus is Coming Soon``

while the crickets and cicadas sang their counterparts.

Now our kids are writing songs of their own,

singing harmony with their friends,

and making demos

better than we ever figured out how to make them.

Once again, it`s just you and me, babe,

and more and more, l notice you getting out the old records

that started you on this journey

or sitting down after supper

to play again a few measures of some song

you used to pretend to broadcast out the upstairs window

in the old farmhouse in Scott`s addition

when you came home from Cunningham School.

For these songs, these are the ones that got your attention,

captured your imagination, and showed you the way to Jesus.

And the harmonies you loved became the seed of your dreams,

dreams that we have together realized

even more than even you could have imagined.

l will sing of my Redeemer,

and His wondrous love, l`ll tell.

He the victory hath given over sin and death and hell.

Oh, sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer.

With His blood, He purchased me.

On the cross, He sealed my pardon,

paid the debt, and made me free.

l will sing of my redeemer and His heavenly love to me.

Yes, He from death to life has brought me,

son of God, with Him to be.

Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer.

With His blood, He purchased me.

On the cross, He sealed my pardon.

He paid the debt and made me free.

Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer.

With His blood, He purchased me.

On the cross, He sealed my pardon,

paid the debt, and made me free.

Free.

Free!

Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer.

With His blood, He purchased me.

On the cross, He sealed my pardon,

paid the debt, and made me free.

Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer.

With His blood, He purchased me.

On the cross, He sealed my pardon,

paid the debt, and made me free.

Free.

Free!

Hi. l`m Bill Gaither.

And l can`t tell you the joy

that Gloria and l have had in this very room,

sitting in heavenly places

with some of the greatest people on this earth.

Moments of wonderful fellowship,

beautiful times of praise and worship,

joy, laughter, and tears,

and to try to capture it somehow on film

so that you can enjoy it there in your home.

Many of you have asked, ``Are there other videos available?``

Well, there are.

Just call this toll-free number for more information:

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

Don`t you know it won`t be long.

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

O`er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

l`m so glad Jesus lifted me.

l`m so glad Jesus lifted me.

Glory hallelujah, Jesus lifted me.

Oh, l`m singin`.

Yes, l`m singin` in my soul

when the burdens roll, burdens roll.

l sing from morn to night.

lt makes my burdens light.

l`m singin`, yes, l`m singin` in my soul.

Oh, l`m singin`.

Yes, l`m singin` in my soul

when the burdens roll.

l sing from morn to night.

lt makes my burdens light.

l`m singin`, yes, l`m singin` in my soul.