"He Touched Me" is a beautiful song to start my Sunday morning! I guess after the past couple of Sunday mornings, I had some expectation of waking up to Elvis again. But this morning. I woke up hearing the Gaither Vocal Band singing this amazing song and rightfully so as it was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1963. Just a side note, Elvis recorded "He Touched Me" and won a Grammy Award for it in 1972. Almost as with "Amazing Grace", "He Touched Me" has been heard and sung by almost everyone at some point in their lives.
I read the history of "He Touched Me" on Wikipedia. (Don't you just love the internet? Well sometimes. LOL) In the early 60's, Bill worked with Dr. Oldham during his evangelistic crusades. One night, Dr. Oldham asked Bill how many times the word "touched" was used in the New Testament. Stories about Jesus touching someone's eyes to heal them or touching their lives and changing them. Dr. Oldham said it is a special, spiritual word and Bill should write a song about it and he did. Within a week, Dr. Oldham's son Doug, began to sing "He Touched Me" during the crusades and Doug Oldham was the first to record the song in 1964. The Bill Gaither Trio later recorded the song. In 1965, The Imperials with Jake Hess recorded the song and then in 1969, the Imperials rerecorded it on their Love Is The Thing album. This is the version Elvis heard and made him want to record it. In 1971, Elvis recorded it using the Imperials as his backup singers. Due to the popularity of Elvis' version, Terry Meeuwsen preformed it during her talent part of the Miss America contest which she won in 1973.
I love knowing a little bit about the history of an incredible song. I'm always amazed to learn the event that inspired the writers to author a song that touches the lives of so many for so many years. I struggle to write a few words to share my thoughts on my song for the day, yet God gives these talented songwriters the words and melodies to touch our lives over and over again. We are so blessed to have these songs to encourage, inspire and touch our lives.
I hope my selection will be a blessing to you as you begin your Sunday morning!
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