Over the past ten years, an astounding eight million people have attended Bill Gaither Homecoming shows in virtually every U.S. state and Canadian province. For those few who have never experienced a four-hour Homecoming show marathon in person, Bill Gaither has, for the first time ever, turned the video cameras on the tour, producing two concert videos: Gaither Homecoming Tour Live From Toronto and Canadian Homecoming. The Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, provided the Tour’s largest North American audience, with sixteen thousand sold-out seats, and the Homecoming Friends pulled out all the stops for the always-friendly Canadian crowd.

Bill Gaither hosts the two video specials from the comfort of his home-away-from-home – his bus – as it rolls across the Canadian countryside. In addition to providing non-stop entertainment by all the Homecoming Family, the videos offer a behind-the-scenes look at the tour, from stops in catering to the floor of the massive arena as the set is being assembled. The tour travels in a caravan of 15-16 private coaches and four semi trucks. For three days of every week, eight months of ever year, these coaches transport the artists, their families, stage crews, sound and light technicians and other personnel vital to the successful staging of a major live concert. Other little extras that are hallmarks of a Homecoming concert are the comedic banter between Bill and guitarist Kevin Williams and Bill leading the audience members in hymns between numbers.

Anyone who knows Bill and Gloria Gaither realizes that family is their number one priority, and the artists, their loved ones and the crew who comprise the Tour are indeed one big family, therefore family takes center stage in the video specials. Not only does Bill introduce viewers to the children who have grown up in the Homecoming Family, such as Landon Ritchie (Charlotte and Greg Ritchie), Levi and Jakobi Bowman (Becky Isaacs Bowman and John Bowman), Joy Randle (Lynda Randle), Madison Easter (Jeff and Sheri Easter) and Karlye Hopper (Kim and Dean Hopper), but he pays tribute to all the Homecoming artists and their family in a taped tribute. That same tribute honours the first family of Gospel music who are now part of the heavenly family: pioneers Jake Hess, Glen Payne, George Younce, James Blackwood, Howard and Vestal Goodman, J.D. Sumner, Bob Cain, Brock Speer, Rex Nelon, Hovie Lister and Bill’s brother, Danny Gaither.

Live From Toronto features the Gaither Vocal Band debuting several numbers from their new CD, Give It Away. For many, it will be an introduction to the new GVB tenor, Wes Hampton, who shines on I’ll Tell It Wherever I Go, a vintage Jordanaires number. A visibly moved Guy Penrod gives new meaning to the Kris Kristofferson-penned gem, Why Me. Marshall Hall leads on Cast Your Bread Upon The Water.

Jeff and a very pregnant Sheri Easter tell the story of their love in the Don Williams’ country classic, My Best Friend, while the popular Booth Brothers step out on their recent hit, Testify and He Saw It All. Russ Taff is electric on Trumpet of Jesus, as is Joy Gardner on Healer In The House, backed by a choir of Homecoming Friends directed by her husband, Landy Gardner of Christ Church Choir fame. As usual, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound bring the crowd to their feet with their electrifying performance of Glory To God In The Highest and This Could Be The Dawning. No one knows how to do spectacular endings like Bill Gaither, and when he brings former GVB member, Michael English, to the stage to reprise his standard, I Bowed On My Knees, you wish the night would never end.

Also appearing are comedians Mark Lowry and Jeff Allen, as well as favourites such as Ivan Parker, The Hoppers, Larry Ford, Ben Speer, Lynda Randle, Jessy Dixon and The Isaacs.

Canadian Homecoming is highlighted by a stunning rendition of Josh Grobin’s You Raise Me Up, by Ladye Love and Reggie Smith. Jessy Dixon dances into the audience on Come Out of the Wilderness, and Ivan Parker performs the MercyMe megahit, I Can Only Imagine and is joined by the cast on I’m Saved. Ben Speer enlists the Homecoming Family in a demonstrate of shaped-note singing made famous at the Stamps-Baxter School, on When Morning Sweeps The Sky. Lynda Randle delights with He Will Carry You, and the Booth Brothers bring tears with Through It All. The Gaither Vocal Band croon another Jordanaires 1949 classic, Journey To The Sky, and join Ernie Haase and Signature Sound on Holy Highway. Larry Ford’s Irish tenor voice is perfect for Little Is Much When God Is In It, written by a Canadian writer, and Kevin Pauls leads the audience and cast in O Canada.

Both Live From Toronto and Canadian Homecoming are available now at Canadian Christian retailers nationwide.

One hour specials will be televised on CTS and Vision networks beginning in early February. Check your local listings for days, times and channels.

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