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New Gaither Vocal Band CD may be their best yet

Bill Gaither can scarcely contain his excitement about the latest CD by the Gaither Vocal Band, Give It Away. Whether it's the music, the CDs universal themes or the camaraderie of being in the studio with the other members of the group, there is a new, joyful spirit evident in the founder and bass singer of the award-winning quartet.

A morning visitor to the Nashville studio where Bill, producer Michael Sykes and engineer Pete Greene are "mixing" the songs with help from the three other GVB members, Guy Penrod, Marshall Hall and Wes Hampton, is treated to play-backs of several of the CDs' fifteen songs. Bill and Pete rub elbows at the control board while Guy, a 20-year veteran of Nashville's studios, positions himself between the console's two speakers in order to get the full effect of the sound mix. Marshall, another studio veteran, takes a chair behind Bill, while Wes stands nearby. They listen repeatedly to the final mix of "Worthy The Lamb," and from the ear-to-ear smiles at the conclusion, it's evident they have captured something very special.

But it is the smooth, mellow, seamless blend of voices on "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go" that brings obvious pleasure to all assembled. Not only is the recording of that song flawless and the theme timeless, but Bill loves the fact that it's a song made popular by the Jordanaires a half century ago. "I've never been able to get over my heritage--not that I want to," Bill explains. "That's why I'm here today. I'm fond of saying that if you see a turtle on the fence post, you know he didn't get there by himself. That's the way I feel about the great groups who came before us." Gordon Stoker, one of the remaining Jordanaires, visited the studio during the recording process, and as Wes related, "It was so sweet watching him during the playback of the two Jordanaires songs."

While Give It Away borrows generously from the past, there is a freshness and vitality about the CD that is totally contemporary. As Bill stresses, "It's like someone opened a window and let a fresh breath of air into the room." Perhaps that's due to the multi-generational composition of the group itself and the variety of influences they bring to the process. Bill Gaither grew up listening to the vinyl albums of such legendary groups as The Statesmen, the Blackwood Brothers, the Speer Family, the Cathedrals and the Jordanaires during the '50s and '60s, and their sound flavored much of the music he has chosen to write and record over the past forty years. On the other hand, it was the music of the Gaither Vocal Band that played such a pivotal role in the musical tastes of the other three members.

"I've been a fan of the Gaither Vocal Band since its inception," Lead singer Guy Penrod points out. "I also loved the Imperials, but the Statesmen and those other groups were before my time." For Wes Hampton, who joined the GVB in June, it seems almost pre-ordained that he would end up singing tenor with the Gaither Vocal Band, because the singers to whose music he gravitated most in his early years - Larnelle Harris, Michael English and Steve Green - are all former members of the esteemed foursome. Although his voice may be the most contemporary-flavored of the four, Marshall Hall, a two-year veteran of the group, spent considerable time in the Gaither studios and on the Homecoming stage prior to becoming the baritone for the group.

Although he has been involved in numerous GVB recordings over the past dozen years, Guy feels the fact that all four members share a passion for being in the studio. "We are all very much at peace being here at this particular time, pulling together as a team. We love the harmonies," he maintains.

All are excited about the song selection, although Guy feels naming favorites would be like choosing one child over another. Wes is openly enthusiastic about a song called "Glorious Impossible," which Marshall explains has a Praise and Worship orientation. "The verses are rich with history of God and what He's done. Musically it's just beautiful. It's big as a house," he explained. All four of the guys love the message of the title song. Marshall says, "If you take all the Lord's blessings and keep them all for yourself, you're missing the message," while Wes says, "Nothing is as good as giving it away, and this is a fun, fun song to sing. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is going to join us for the last few choruses."

"A Place Called Hope" tells the story of the Prodigal Son from a new perspective, Guy mentions, and all are enthusiastic about the inclusion of the classic, "Why Me," which features a powerful lead by Guy. "I like what we're saying with this music," he adds. "It feels very Christ-like, very inclusive."

The themes of love, hope and charity also endear the CD to Bill Gaither. "I really believe this recording says some important things, and for many reasons, I think it is the best project the Vocal Band has ever done. I'm so pleased with this group, and I'm convinced that the Vocal Band's best days are still ahead! And that's saying a lot at my age