Singer and songwriter of southern gospel music Bill Gaither had written more than fifty songs, none of which became popular, when he wrote his first big hit, "He Touched Me," in 1963. Its first recording by Doug Oldham helped to make it famous.
Bill explained in the same interview that he wrote the song during a time when he was accompanying an old preacher friend of his, Dr Dale Oldham, on some evangelistic crusades. He recalled: "He was a very eloquent speaker. One night after one of those meetings, Dr. Oldham said to me, 'Bill, the word "touch" is a very popular word. It comes up so often in the New Testament stories about Jesus touching people's eyes and healing them, or touching people's lives and changing them. It's a special, spiritual word and you ought to write a song that praises His touch.' So I did."
Elvis Presley heard the song and recorded it as the title song of his 1972 album that sold over one million copies and earned a Grammy Award. It began Presley's lifelong love for gospel music in general and Gaither songs in particular. Among the most popular and successful recordings of "He Touched Me" were those by The Imperials and the Speer Family. "He Touched Me" was first published in a hymnal in Hymns for the Family of God, 1976.
"He Touched Me" sure was a popular theme back in the day. These album covers are heartbreaking cries for help.
(via Dangerous Minds)
Bill explained in the same interview that he wrote the song during a time when he was accompanying an old preacher friend of his, Dr Dale Oldham, on some evangelistic crusades. He recalled: "He was a very eloquent speaker. One night after one of those meetings, Dr. Oldham said to me, 'Bill, the word "touch" is a very popular word. It comes up so often in the New Testament stories about Jesus touching people's eyes and healing them, or touching people's lives and changing them. It's a special, spiritual word and you ought to write a song that praises His touch.' So I did."
Elvis Presley heard the song and recorded it as the title song of his 1972 album that sold over one million copies and earned a Grammy Award. It began Presley's lifelong love for gospel music in general and Gaither songs in particular. Among the most popular and successful recordings of "He Touched Me" were those by The Imperials and the Speer Family. "He Touched Me" was first published in a hymnal in Hymns for the Family of God, 1976.
"He Touched Me" sure was a popular theme back in the day. These album covers are heartbreaking cries for help.
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| And finally, these creepy fellers who actually want to touch Him! |
(via Dangerous Minds)
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