Celebrated Christian couple, Bill and Gloria Gaither, are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their adored hymn, “Because He Lives.” The song was first released in 1971 and there will be a compilation of different performances of the song in celebration of its 50th anniversary. This is an idea of the Gaither Music Group to honor the members of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Fifty years on, “Because He Lives” has been recorded by various musicians such as Jimmy Fortune, Alabama, Matt Maher, David Osborne, among others. However, Carrie Underwood and Harry Connick Jr. will be releasing new recordings of the song this month.
Bill narrated that upon releasing the song, they did not know how far the song would go. He also said that at times, when a song is written, it is normal to have varying thoughts. While some songs go as far as growing an impact like ‘Amazing Grace’, others simply die a natural death.
Furthermore, he said that when ‘Because He Lives’ was written, he felt it was a nice song. But he knew the song was actually great when he started getting positive responses to it. Consequently, he is humbled that the song has garnered much accolades and it has been translated to different languages. He did not see the song becoming this great at the initial stage.
Gloria also narrated what necessitated the song. She noted that there is a personal story to the song. In the 60s, she was going through some challenges. More so, she and her husband were expecting their third child. She assumed the song was just for them. However, the song gained prominence across nations to her surprise. She continued;
‘’We live our lives with confidence because the Resurrection is true. We held our son and said, ‘We can do this. We can raise this child in this unstable world because of the power of life. Life wins! And because our Lord is alive, we can trust Him with our future.’ Honestly, it was a song we wrote for us.”
In 1962, the couple got married and in 1967, they took music as a full time career. Ever since, they have been remarkable with all their works. So far, Bill and Gloria Gaither have performed at top-notch venues such as Sydney Opera House, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Carnegie Hall, London Symphony Hall, and the Ryman Auditorium.
Through their songs, they have made impact in the lives of many persons. Likewise, they have influenced the careers and lives of artists such as Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Mark Lowry, among others.
‘’Because He Lives’’ was featured on Ernie Haase + Signature Sound’s Something Beautiful recording. It is an album dedicated to the music of Bill and Gloria Gaither. Besides, it got a Grammy nomination, an interesting way to start the 50th anniversary celebration of this timeless song.
An upcoming TBN special which will be presented by the Gospel Music Group shall have the hymn as its theme. It has been titled, “Because He Lives: An Easter Celebration.”
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