A Christian Gospel Concert
Had a wonderful fun filled weekend. Saturday evening I went to a Christian Gospel Concert, The Bill Gaither & Homecoming Friends~ Give It Away Tour 2007.It turned out to be quite a challenge to get to the St Pete Times Forum where the concert was being held. The City of Tampa had their famous Gasparilla Parade. A fun tradition where pirates come in on their ships and kidnap the City Mayer Ms. Ioria, and the key to the City, and then they have a huge parade with 90 floats and 14 bands. The pirates ride up
in boats or in the floats and throwbeaded necklaces to all the people.
We didn't attend this year, but have in the past and it is so very much fun! Pictured is Little Ben playing with some of the beads we have collected in past years.
Never the less, it turned the City of Tampa into an obstacle course trying to get to the concert and I ended up getting out and walking 7 or 8 blocks to meet up with my Mom and her church friends whom had called me and had already arrived.
Bill Gaither is a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer/songwriter who has written over 600 songs with his wife Gloria. Gaither was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1982. He may be 70, but he can still lay it down.
With their unique blend of powerful vocals and faith-filled entertainment, the guys offer a "Heavenly Parade" of southern gospel favorites! Including "Bread upon the Water," "Down from His Glory," "Worthy the Lamb," "I Can Only Imagine," "You're Looking at a Child Forgiven,". Give It Away includes performances from the Gaither Vocal Band, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Gordon Mote and others. They had a comedian, that for the life of me, I can't remember his name but oh my word, we laughed. The entire show is filled with comic relief, I couldn't believe how much we laughed! Bill's wife Gloria, used to ask "Where do you come up with these artist?", and Bill explained that he feels that all over in the Bible it refers to joy, happiness and laughter and so he surrounds himself with these characters that make him laugh!
The blind piano man touched my heart...accompanist for the Gaither Homecoming Tour and one of the most accomplished and sought-after recording studio session players in Nashville, TN. Gordon Mote, who was my absolute favorite!
Gordon, has played on recording sessions for the likes of Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Randy Travis, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Mark Lowry, the Gaither Vocal Band, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, The Martins, and Alan Jackson, just to name a few. He may be blind but he is sensational on the ivory's. They showed clips of his beautiful wife and two children a boy and girl all while he shared a song he wrote for his wife titled, "If They Could See You Through My Eyes"! It was so endearing and brought tears to my eyes! Incredible!
Bill Gaither explains, "The "Give It Away Tour is an opportunity for us to "throw our hearts wide open" and share the things that are best enjoyed when we give them away, like faith, friendship and music." It was so powerfully uplifting and full of joy and happiness!
So, it's just the two of us delighted that Dennis was able to get me to the concert and that I was able to have experienced a cavalcade of singers, musicians and comedians, whose collective talents have been honored with countless awards, including Grammys, Doves, and many others. Hoping if you ever get a chance, Bill Gaither leaves you feeling lighthearted, hopeful and blessed to have heard one of the best Babara shop quartets with a fabulously talented Baritone, and are worth their weight in gold!
posted by Pamela @ 2:21 AM
25 Comments:
What a great experience that must have been. We've been to one of the Homecoming concerts, but several before he began doing it that way. My brother actually worked for him for a few years, so we got really good tickets in those days. I love their music and have for many years.
Have a wonderful week!
Sounds like a fun time! That city must have been very congested.. My little grandson would have loved the pirate part of that!
Enjoy the coming week!
hugs!!
I haven't been to any concert for ages! Sounds like you had fun!
This concert sounded awesome. Oh how I wish something like this would come to Honolulu. Glad to hear you got there even with all the traffic.
Little Ben looks so adorable playing.
Hi Pamela ~~ Glad you enjoyed this concert. Sounds like a great group of musicians. The blind pianist must be
so talented. I am glad you got there.
Thanks for your visit, sorry if the Starbucks joke was too much for you.
Take care, Love, Merle.
I'm glad you had a lovely weekend. It's nice that you enjoyed the concert.
The Gasparilla Parade sounds like a great and fun event. My son is enchanted with pirates. I'm sure he would love that part of the presentation.
Cute picture of Little Ben playing with the beads. It's nice that you've kept all those lovely beads.
Thanks for sharing.
Dawn, that is amazing your brother worked for Bill Gaither, small world!
Susie, it took 1 hour to get even close to where we wanted to go because they blocked off the roads for the parade!
Hliza, going to a Christian concert is like going to the beach...very inspirational and you wish you would have gone ages ago! You forget!
Christina, you should write them! I am sure they would love to come!
Merle, you are so funny!
Rachel, you would die if you knew how many oodles of beads we have given away to friends and family members! Hundreds!
Don't you just love the Gaither Vocal Band? My husband used to work for Bill in the church music sales area and it was fun to be around him and Gloria. They're just as genuine and real in their private life as they appear in public. They really are quality, godly people.
p.s. BTW, my husband is Dawn's brother.
Hi Pamela!
Today is my happy day! I found what about I always dreamed!
Bill Gaither&Homecoming Friends is my favorite gospel music!!!!
Thank you very much for this GREAT POST!!!
For me it is a big wonderful surprise!!
Since I came to USA (4 years) I listen to this great group every week.
My first choose TV program in USA was Bill Gaither's gospel music even I understanded nothing. My English is not good yet. Sorry.
I am touched!
God bless you and your family!
HEY! Did you know your nominated for a Share The Love Blog Awards for happiest blog?!!! Many Congrats! I know you alays make me very happy! If you didn't know go check it out at
sharetheloveblogawards.blogspot.com
Voting begins in a few days!!!!
You know Pamela, I still have my Donny scrapbook and I could easily make some iron on transfers that would fit perfectly on pillows ;o)
Sigh! Amy
Sounds like a truly wonderful concert and it seemed to have everything with music, comedy, etc:-) I'm afraid I don't listen to Christian Gospel music so I'm not familiar with the names...I know, what you gonna do with me eh? lol Hugs xoxo
Morning Glory, I keep forgetting you two are related! lol That is so awesome! lol
Krystyna, Your English is wonderful now and music is truly universal! :)
Amy, I did just find out I was nominated. In fact, I am nominating my favorites today!
Pea, You'll always be a keeper here!
Sounds like it was a great concert. I had a Gaither band record for kids when I was little and knew all the songs. ;-)
Your litle guy looks so cute playing with the beads.
Looks like everything was worth it, especially to your Little Ben and his beads.
Have a great week ahead.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/
Awww, c'mon Pamela spill the beans...didn't you ever have a crush when you were a teen? Who was it?! Pleeeeaase tell me!
Seriously, no...for real...my hubby doesn't know about my blog, it's something fun for me to do. I would never ever want to hurt his feelings or for him to think that he is not my crush for the rest of my life. He is my very best friend and we love being together all the time!
But don't think that I am going to stop posting about Donny! LOL!
Until next time....
My weekend was wonderful, too and I thank you for visiting my blog, now I am trying to catch up with work and blogs, I love the meme with your name I am going to try to do mine on my lunch time. Glad your weekend was full of happiness and music!!!
wow Pamela. Wasn't the concert great? We've been to several of them when they came to Ft. Worth and then in San Antonio too. That is my husband's all time favorite music. He's a great bass singer himself and loves quartet music. It's like a little bit of heaven going to one of those Homecoming Concerts. So glad you got to go.
Your weekend sounds like a lot of fun! The song Gordon wrote for his wife sounds so beautiful!!! It brought tears to my eyes just to think about it.
I'm really glad you got to do this, Pamela. I don't even remember the last time I went to a concert. I think it was Willie Nelson, for pete's sake.
Congratulations on your Share the Love nomination. Very well deserved!
Wow, what a fun and blessed concert! Wonderful! I so enjoy the Hills Alive concert every July in Rapid City. http://www.hillsalive.com/2007/
And just think, you can come visit me and stay at the camp and well, FUN!
So enjoyed this FUN post! Hugs!
How fun! It sounds like a wonderful concert!
Kelli
We love the Gaithers and have eaten in the same restaurant in Ky with Guy Penrod...the dude with the long hair...he has 8 kids...but at the time I think he just had six...one of them was riding atop his shoulders you can read more about him here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Penrod
:-D
I love the Gaither vocal band. I am so glad to hear you had a great time.
Oh gosh, Mom and I used to sit and watch Bill Gaither all the time. Really good memories. Thanks for sharing!
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