Lee Young was dismissed in 1982, and Jon Mohr was hired as the new bass singer. They then recorded the album, Passin' The Faith Along. Later, tenor Steve Green left and Larnelle Harris was hired. This group cut the New Point Of View album before Mohr left.
At this point the "New Gaither Vocal Band' dropped the "new" part of their name. Bill Gaither dropped to the lowest part (although they didn't call it Bass at the time), Gary McSpadden was moved down to baritone and Michael English was hired as lead singer. Although the previous album (New Point Of View) had been more contemporary than its predecessors, the album with this version of the group (One X 1) took it even further. After this album, Larnelle left and was replaced by Lemuel Miller. The group did not record an album with Lemuel before he left. He was replaced by Imperials alumnus, Jim Murray. They cut one album (Wings) before Gary McSpadden left to devote more time to his solo career. Mark Lowry was tapped to replace him. Although Lowry admittedly didn't have the natural ear for the baritone part, or the experience, he added a great voice along with his comedy and soon made their sound more smooth. First planned to perhaps be their final album, their gospel roots project Homecoming, in 1991, caused most Southern Gospel fans to welcome the Vocal Band with open arms. A follow-up recording called Southern Classics cemented their relationship with fans.
Jim Murray left and was replaced by Terry Franklin whose tenor voice was heard on the aforementioned, Southern Classics. Michael English left to pursue a popular solo career. He was replaced by Buddy Mullins. Terry Franklin soon left and was replaced by another Imperials alumnus, Jonathan Pierce. Strengthened by the popularity of the Homecoming video series, the Vocal Band added Guy Penrod at lead and after Pierce's departure, David Phelps was added at tenor. After Lowry’s departure, The Imperials alumnus Russ Taff sang baritone for a couple of years. When Taff returned to solo work, Marshall Hall was his replacement. Wes Hampton succeeded Phelps in 2005.
During the 1990s and into the first few years of the 21st century, the Gaither Vocal Band mastered the art of mixing classic Southern Gospel with Country and Inspirational styles. This gave the group a broad fan base that reached beyond the typical do.
In 2009 Marshall Hall and Guy Penrod left the group. Instead of just replacing them, Bill decided to make the group a five-man band -- bringing back some crowd favorites: Michael English, Mark Lowry, and David Phelps.
Complete List of Group Past Members:
* Bill Gaither, Baritone (1980-84); Bass (1984-present)
* Lee Young, Bass (1980-1982)
* Steve Green, Tenor (1980-1983)
* Gary McSpadden, Lead (1980-1984); Baritone (1984-88)
* Jon Mohr, Bass (1982-1984)
* Larnelle Harris, Tenor (1983-1987)
* Michael English, Lead (1985-1994, 2009-present)
* Lemuel Miller, Tenor (1987)
* Jim Murray, Tenor (1987-1992)
* Mark Lowry, Baritone (1988-2001, 2009-present)
* Terry Franklin, Tenor (1992-1994)
* Buddy Mullins, Lead (1994-1995)
* Jonathan Pierce, Tenor (1994-1997)
* Guy Penrod, Lead (1995-2009)
* David Phelps, Tenor (1997-2005, 2009-present)
* Russ Taff, Baritone (2001-2004)
* Marshall Hall, Baritone (2004-2009)
* Wes Hampton, Tenor (2005-present)
Discography
* The New Gaither Vocal Band (1981) - Benson
* ''Passin' The Faith Along (1983) - Benson
* New Point of View (1984) - Benson
* One X 1 (1986) - Word Nashville
* Wings (1988) - Star Song
* The Best from the Beginning (1989) - Benson
* A Few Good Men (1990) - Star Song
* Homecoming (1991) - Star Song
* Peace of the Rock (1993) - Star Song
* Southern Classics (1993) - Benson
* Testify (1994) King is Coming (1994) - Chapel
* ''Can't Stop Talkin' About Him (1995)
* Southern Classics: Volume II (1996) - Chapel
* Back Home in Indiana (1997) - Spring Hill
* ''Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other (1997) - Spring Hill
* Still the Greatest Story Ever Told (1998) - Spring Hill
* God is Good (1999) - Spring Hill
* Classic Moments from the Gaither Vocal Band - Volume 1 (1999) - Benson
* Classic Moments from the Gaither Vocal Band - Volume 2 (1999) - Benson
* I Do Believe (2000) - Spring Hill
* Everything Good (2002) - Spring House
* A Cappella (2003) - Gaither Music Group
* Best of the Gaither Vocal Band (2004) - Gaither Music Group
* Give it Away (2006) - Gaither Music Group
*Together Signature Sound and Gaither Vocal Band (2007) - Gaither Music Group
*Lovin' Life (2008) - Gaither Music Group
*Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style (2008)
*Gaither Vocal Band Reunion - Volumes One & Two (January 2009)
Testify
Gaither Vocal Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I wanna testify
Got a job a roof overhead don't live fancy but my family's fed
I wanna testify
Got my strength and I got my health you can't buy that with fame or wealth And
I just wanna testify
I get overwhelmed with thankfulness for things I have received
More than fame or wealth I feel the spirit inside movin' me
And I just wanna testify
I got a joy that comes from within, deep in my soul I feel so content
And I just wanna testify
I searched high and I searched low, to find the answers only Heaven holds
And I just wanna testify
Too much joy, can't keep it to myself, I feel the need to tell somebody else
And I just wanna testify
Gifts of love that we all need, are provided if we only plant the seeds
And I wanna plant the seeds and testify
I just wanna testify
Feelin' light enough to fly
Lift your voice up to the sky
Come on join in and don't be shy
Get on your feet and testify
Feelin' light enough to fly
Lift your voice up to the sky
Come on join in and don't be shy
The lyrics to Gaither Vocal Band's song Testify express gratitude and the desire to share one's blessings and joy with others. The singer starts by expressing gratitude for waking up to another day and having basic necessities such as a job, a roof over their head, and food for their family. They acknowledge that these things cannot be bought with fame or wealth, and they want to testify to the goodness in their life.
The singer goes on to talk about the joy and contentment they feel within themselves and their search for spiritual answers. They believe that Heaven holds the answers and that they want to testify to the gifts of love that can be provided if one plants the seeds. Overall, the singer wants to testify to the abundance of blessings in their life and the joy they feel. They feel compelled to share this joy with others and lift their voices up to the sky in gratitude.
The lyrics of the song encourage listeners to join in and not be shy about testifying to the goodness in their life. It is a reminder that everyone has something to be grateful for and that we should share our joy with others. The uplifting nature of the lyrics and melody make this song a great choice for times of celebration, Thanksgiving, or any occasion where gratitude and joy are the focus.
Line by Line Meaning
In the morning when I wake I'm so thankful for another day
I wake up grateful for each new day
And I wanna testify
I want to proclaim my gratitude
Got a job a roof overhead don't live fancy but my family's fed
I have basic needs met and can provide for my family
I wanna testify
I am thankful for my provisions
Got my strength and I got my health you can't buy that with fame or wealth And I just wanna testify
I value the blessings of good health and physical strength more than monetary possessions
I get overwhelmed with thankfulness for things I have received
Gratitude overwhelms me for all the things I have been given
More than fame or wealth I feel the spirit inside movin' me
I am moved by the spiritual joy I feel, not by material possessions
Looked around and can't ignore, there's so many things to be thankful for
I acknowledge the many blessings in my life
And I just wanna testify
I want to bear witness to my gratitude
I got a joy that comes from within, deep in my soul I feel so content
I experience a deep contentment and joy within my heart and soul
And I just wanna testify
I want to testify to the joy I feel
I searched high and I searched low, to find the answers only Heaven holds
I have searched for spiritual answers that can only be found through Heaven
And I just wanna testify
I want to testify to the truth I have found
Too much joy, can't keep it to myself, I feel the need to tell somebody else
I am overflowing with joy and feel compelled to share it with others
And I just wanna testify
I want to share my joy and bear witness to it
Gifts of love that we all need, are provided if we only plant the seeds
We can experience the blessings of love if we spread it to others
And I wanna plant the seeds and testify
I want to sow the seeds of love and bear witness to it
Feelin' light enough to fly
I feel free and unencumbered
Lift your voice up to the sky
I urge others to express their joy and gratitude
Come on join in and don't be shy
I invite others to join in sharing their joy and giving thanks
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gary Dennis Hines, James Samuel Harris, Terry Steven Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind