Honors include being named the Gospel Music Composer of the Year for both 19. In the late 1990s she was featured in Bill Gaither's gospel videos "Old Friends" and "Turn Your Radio On."
#Bill gaither songs there a sweet sweet spirit tv#
Other collaborations included recordings for the Gaither label and appearances at their concerts and TV productions. Many famous singers have recorded Dot Akers' songs, including George Beverly Shea, Mahalia Jackson, the Roberta Martin Singers, Aretha Franklin, and the Stamps-Baxter Quartet. She formed a relationship with Manna Music in the mid-1950s, just a few years before she composed "Sweet, Sweet Spirit" in 1962. This choir was devoted to African American gospel music. In 1958 Akers formed the Sky Pilot Choir, the first interracial choir in Los Angeles. Soon after arriving, she joined the Sallie Martin Singers as a pianist and singer, formed the Akers Singers, and established her own publishing company, Akers Music House. Earl Hines, and Eugene Douglas Smallwood. In 1945 Akers moved to Los Angeles where she met some of the important names in gospel music of that era, including Sallie Martin, J. By ten, she had composed her first song, "Keep the fire burning in me," and by age twelve had organized a five-piece jazz band, "Dot Akers and Her Swingsters." One of ten children, Dot Akers, as many called her, demonstrated her interest in music at the young age of six, teaching herself to play the piano by ear. Because it is easily memorized, the song is often played and sung as parishioners shake hands and embrace others gathered for worship. When The United Methodist Hymnal was published in 1989, "Sweet, sweet Spirit" immediately became one of the favorite new hymns, and for many congregations, it became a staple during the greeting time in worship.
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It is a fitting hymn for Pentecost Sunday or any Sunday where God’s people gather to worship. "Sweet, sweet Spirit" expresses in simple, heartfelt language the work of the Holy Spirit as it works in the life of the church. Akers connected with some of the most important gospel songwriters of her era until her death in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the most notable "Spirit Songs" of the twentieth century is "There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place" by African American gospel songwriter Doris Mae Akers (1923-1995). The lyrics clearly can be recited in a holy moment of prayer, but it’s also a pretty great song.There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,Īnd I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord They produced “Come, Holy Spirit” in 1964. As of 2012, they had written more than 700 songs.
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Gloria served for a time as a vocalist in the Trio, but they have spent most of their careers together collaborating as writers – generally with Gloria penning the lyrics and Bill composing the music. They eventually married and plunged full-time into Christian music. He met Gloria some years later when both were high school teachers in Indiana.
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Bill first formed the Bill Gaither Trio, with his sister and brother, while a college student in the 1950s. The Gaithers, members of the Church of the Nazarene, are among the most influential and indeed famous figures in contemporary Christian music and have won multiple Grammy and Dove awards. One of my favorites: “Come, Holy Spirit,” written by married couple Gloria and Bill Gaither. A song can have original lyrics that could stand alone as a truly inspirational prayer. And the Lord’s Prayer has been put to music several times, most notably by composer Albert Hay Malotte.īut prayer can go in the other direction. Ignatius Loyola (called the Suscipe Prayer), and the song by Father John Foley S.J. Consider “Take, Lord, Receive,” the prayer by St. Some truly special prayers have been used as the lyrical basis for some beautiful songs. Christian songwriters Bill and Gloria Gaither produced the song in 1965.