BILL GAITHER

Selfless giving

Bill Gaither

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
3/30/2007

Gospel giant Bill Gaither puts his money where his heart is... selfless giving

Here's something that maybe you don't know about gospel singer Bill Gaither: He's the tree growing-type.

That's right. When he's not out doing about 50 dates a year with his gospel tour, the Bill Gaither Homecoming, he's taking care of his family and the myriad of tree species he has planted on the 30 acres surrounding his Indiana home.

"Spring time is finally coming to Indiana," said Gaither, and it's showing in his sycamores, white oaks, white pines, hard maples, soft maples and Austrian pines. "It's just been a joy."

And when he's not doing that, he's chasing after his five grandkids. He'd better not get too tuckered out. He's got a sixth on the way, he said.

The five-time Grammy winner has a new video filmed at a South African concert ("South African Homecoming") and "Love Can Turn the World."

The South Africa show was part of a 10-day trip the group made to the country in 2005, Gaither's Web site states.

"(We) met an audience, quite a cross-cultural, cross-ethnic mix, of people who have followed our music for many years and so it's kind of like being

with friends and family," Gaither said. "The spirit of the place is pretty fantastic."

Gaither's popularity has continued since the 1960s, when Elvis Presley recorded one of his songs, "He Touched Me." In August, Billboard magazine reported that Gaither and his wife Gloria Gaither had the fourth and fifth most popular music video sales at one point last year, the Associated Press reported.

Gaither said he has been coming to Tulsa for about 35 years. He used to be a regular at the Brady Theater but his show outgrew it.

He come to the Mabee Center ever since.

"This year, the theme is 'Give It Away,' which is a song that we're singing, really encouraging people to give, not to us, because we don't have a program (for that)," Gaither said. Instead, they encourage people to support Franklin Graham's charitable works or a local community program.

He gives $200 each to five people at each of his shows this year, with the condition that they give it away or put it to a use that helps others.

"That's a small amount, I know," Gaither said. "It's our way of saying, 'Hey, take this money and go do something with it. Do something good with it. Don't spend it on yourself. If you can add $200 to it, fine."

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Matt Elliott 581-8366
matt.elliott@tulsaworld.com

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BILL GAITHER HOMECOMING

When:
Doors open at 5 p.m. show, with show starting at 6 p.m. Saturday

Where:
Mabee Center, 81st Street and Lewis Avenue

Tickets:
$19.50-$36.50, plus a service fee, available through www.mabeecenter.com, (800) 678-1353 and the box office, 495-6000

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer