Gary sits down around the piano in Belfast with a genuine gospel music legend: Bill Gaither. If you've ever hummed along to "He Touched Me" or "Because He Lives" without knowing who wrote them, well, now you do. Bill unpacks the stories behind his best-loved songs, from Larry Gatlin's "Greatly Blessed, Highly Favoured" to the accidental beginnings of the Homecoming videos, and explains why a good gospel song needs solid theology, poetry and heart in equal measure.

Along the way Bill talks candidly about the songs he wishes more people had heard, working (and gently competing) with wife Gloria's lyrics, and that time Donnie McGuire wrote a better melody than he did in 45 minutes flat. There's talk of loss, perspective, crossing cultures and denominations, and why "most of it's bad" but the good stuff survives — Steve Allen's line, not Gary's. A warm, funny, occasionally moving chat with one of gospel music's true elder statesmen.

Tune into A Very Tall Man from Midnight - 6:00am on the Rhema Media App.

For more from the show, visit the A Very Tall Man page at rhema.co.nz

Produced using AI tools under human supervision.

Support A Very Tall Man: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent podcasts

David Schnauer: Why Your Super Might Be at Risk

Bob Gass: The Man Behind The Word for Today

Riley Chance: Thrillers That Ask "What If NZ?"