I can remember you singing with the Smitty Gatlin Trio and JD Sumner the Stamps Quartet. How and when did you get started in Gospel music?
I Got started in Gospel Music at the ripe old age of 15. I started out singing with a group in Evansville, IN called "The Echoes of Calvary Quartet" we were the featured music for the radio and TV broadcasts of A church named "Calvary Temple" We also had our own weekly radio show on WJPS radio Evansville. It was done weekly LIVE at
7:30 A.M. every Sunday morning. The show was sponsored by the radio station. We had recorded some jingles for their commercials and they gave us a weekly show time. It worked out real nice. That was before I learned that tenors couldn't sing in the morning. Since I didn't know that I just went ahead and did it. Now that I am older (67) I have
learned that I am not supposed to be able to sing early in the morning.
You sang some very powerful songs while with the Stamps, such as "I Find No Fault In Him" and "I've Never Been Out Of His Care". What was your favorite song to sing? What song touched you personally?
I believe that the song that I sang with the Stamps that touched me personally the most was "I Find No Fault in Him". It was the first song that I recorded with the Stamps and the message in the song is so powerful that right after I finished recording it in the studio, I couldn't keep myself from crying when I heard the playback. God spoke to me and through me in the recording of that song. I also sang with a group before the Stamps in Indiana called the Trailsmen Quartet. I sang a song called "Little Is Much If God Is In It" and that song always touched my spirit deeply when I sang it.
I understand that you were Pastoring for a while. Tell us a little about this portion of your life.
I have been the interim pastor in three different churches for different periods of time ranging from 8 months to 2 years. I learned a lot about people by pastoring. God taught me more during those times about empathy than I had ever known before. I enjoyed pastoring because God's people are so precious in His sight, and I enjoyed serving them.
Many of us don't realize the rigors of pastoring. We think that a pastor just has to get up and preach on Sunday and Wednesday and that's it. We never realize the hours of prayer, fasting, and preparation just that part of it takes. However, there is so much more to pastoring than just preaching 2 or 3 times a week. I takes a real love for people and God to dedicate your life to be a pastor. My personal feelings are that the people I MOST ADMIRE in my life are all the pastors that I have been privileged to be with and to serve with during my life. My treasured friends consist of Pastors and Gospel Singers. All of these people that I know are very dedicated to ministry to and for people about our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What fills your days now? What exciting things are happening in your life now?
Nowadays I spend a lot of time with my wife. We do everything together. We have been married for 44 years and I am still in love. We are together 365, 24, 7. We like to go to New Hampshire and visit our only daughter, her husband and our two grandsons who are ages 15 and 14. My family is my life. My entire family is involved in ministry. My daughter is the worship leader in her church. My 14 year old grandson is the keyboardist for the worship team. My 15 year old grandson is in charge of the video taping of the services for the Television show that the church has each week. My son-in-law is the senior deacon in the church. By the way, my son-in-law's dad is the pastor. My wife and I attend River of Life church in Smyrna and also go to Christ Church in Nashville some. I go out and sing when I am called. I also go out and preach when I am called. I guess the most exciting thing that is happening in my life is that I am able to,now that I am older, rest in the arms of the Lord. That is a very exciting thing. God is so great and so good. He has blessed my life so richly that I could never find words to explain about it.
I know that you are still singing some, what do you attribute to the longevity of your vocal abilities?
I attribute the logevity of my ability to sing to the following things:
1. Studying Italian Opera in college when I was young. That one thing changed my way of singing.
2. Because of the studies I gained knowledge about HOW to sing to save your voice.
A. First and foremost is proper rest. You need to get at least 8 hours of rest a night if at all possible.
B. Don't abuse your voice with loud laughter, yelling, screaming, smoking, drinking alchohol etc. Learn to clap your hands at Ball Games instead of yelling.
C. Proper warm ups of your voice are very important also. Warm up about 3 hours before you are going to sing then rest and don't abuse your voice especially during this time.
D. Proper breathing technique should be used also during singing.
There is so much to this subject, I have just touched the surface of it.. But these are some major things that I feel have helped me to continue to sing into my retirement years.
It seems that everyone who traveled with Elvis Presley was left with an impression on their life with his influence. What effect did singing with Elvis have on your career and on your lifein general?
Singing with Elvis Presley taught me about the necessity to be precise with what you do in your singing. Being a background vocalist is a different thing than just singing in a Gospel Quartet. It is much more precision in its vocal requirements. The effect that singing with Elvis had on my career and life in general was that it has opened a lot of doors for me to witness about how, at the very peak of that career, God called me out of it to go and sing in churches and preach the gospel. By having been there, I had more doors
open to me because people are naturally curious about someone who was called by God to minister out of that situation.
What would you say was your biggest accomplishment as Gospel singer?
My biggest accomplishment as a Gospel Singer was to be able to, although being on the road a lot, raise a wonderful christian daughter who is carrying on with gospel music ministry in the way that God has called her to do. In turn she and her husband are raising two wonderful sons who are both involved in the ministry and one of them the ,14 year old, has as his goal in life to be in the ministry. To me that is the greatest accomplishment that God has allowed me to be a part of.
It seems that Gospel singers can never give it up completely. What are your plans for the future?
I thought I had retired and I am very happy being in retirement, however, God has other plans sometimes. My personal plans have always been to go where God leads me and do what God tells me to do. Recently, God has opened the door for me to become a part of a revival of the "Prophets Quartet" in the very near future you will be hearing about this. The New Prophets will consist of Ed Hill, Hovie Walker, Paul Jackson, and Myself. We are going to do our best to minister in song and the word about our precious Lord and Savior. Pray for us that God will use us to win many souls into the Kingdom.
If someone wanted to get in touch with Bill Baize, how could they do that?
To get in touch with me:
Bill Baize
P. O. Box 697
Brentwood, TN 37024
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Author: AGM
| Author's Website: http://absolutelygospel.com/
Written: 12/01/2006
| 
Category: Up Close
Comments: 14
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It will be great to have Bill back into full time(?)
Gospel Music again. I have had the priveledge of seeing him a few times since his days with the Stamps. His voice is still smooth, yet powerful. I have always been very impressed with his sincerity. by the way, he's a good preacher too.
Bill gave concerts at, what was then, our home church in Springfield, MO each year - when he worked at the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, AR several years ago. I was fortunate to be in town during some of his visits. It was great to get to know him and enjoy not only his amazing ability and performance, but to witnessand experience the effective ministry God has given him.
He is truly one of the greatest tenors our Industry has ever seen - both in talent and in ministry.
Cliff Cerce
The Cerces
Cliff Cerce
The Cerces, PO Box 8525, Springfield, MO 65801
417-863-8440
http://www.thecerces.com
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
I am delighted to know that a man 67 years young is still singing gospel music. I am a pastor/singer. My wife is a fantastic singer/musician [piano& organ]. We are certainly glad that young people are entering SGM but also proud of the older ones that just keep going and going an going! My Music Minister is 75 years young and still has such a smooth/mellow voice that never cracks. He as well as Bill are very inspiring to me.
Bill, I am excited to be involved in reviving The Prophets with you and Ed. I consider you to be a legend in our industry and am honored to be a producer on these recordings. Your scratch vocals on the sessions were incredible!
Bill's life spoke volumes when he left the Presley thing to follow God's call on his life. His voice, his popularity, his professionalism, all had to surrender to the leading of the One he sang about. I had the privilege of hearing him at both the peak of his "career" and when he was a solo evangelist out winning souls for Jesus. I'll take the latter.
They dont come any finer than Bill Baize, He is a Legend in his own time, A true Man of God that has stood the test of time and at the age that Bill is I feel that God is going to Open doors like never before for Bill in the year of 2007 and beyond, I truely am looking forward to THEPROPHETS QT return in 2007 as a ole timer myself with over 46 years in Southern Gospel Radio I feel that Bill Baize will be around long after Im dead and gone. May God always Bless Bill Baize a true Man of God The OleGospel Man from Illinois Neal Canon DJPD WJBD Radio BOX 70 SALEM, ILL 62881
"I Find No Fault In Him"...what a song. It
Paul Jackson / The Prophets
http://www.pauljacksongroup.com/blog
i find no fault in him is one of my favorite ones of all time.i have the record with the stamps where he sings it.its my favorite cut of the song
Dear Friend Bill(Bobby Brewer) :
Bill....I am thrilled to hear you will be out singing and telling people about Jesus through music!!! You once coached me at Dr. Charles Novell's School of Music and I was in awe. Not only because you sang with Elvis, but because you were not what I expected. You are a true, humble person and that shines through. You do expect excellence and that will carry through in this new ministry. God bless!
Vickie speaks of Bill being a "true,humble" person and she will be glad to know that he still is such a person...AND still amazingly talented and capable as a singer. I agree with Aaron Minicks earlier comment as well. Bill's "scratch" vocal at The Prophets recent recording session stirred the heart of all of us present that morning...Vickie, you are going to love this new album...Bill and all of us involved with The Prophets Quartet appreciate your encouragement.
Paul Jackson / The Prophets
http://www.pauljacksongroup.com/blog
My favorite, and I still use it on my radio programs today..is
Bill is a great singer & preacher. He
I attened the singing of the Legends, at Madison. It was such a blessing. You all were so good, it was good to hear all of you together, again. Hope you all can do this again. God has blessed us all, just in different ways, and I think it is wonderful for all of you guys to get together to help a struggling church to spread the word of God through your music. Thank you for such a wonderful service.
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