Bill Gaither (Gospel): Bill Gaither (vocals); Gloria Gaither (vocals).
Additional personnel: Jeanne Johnson, Jeff and Sheri Easter, Mike Allen, Selah, Squire Parsons, Hayes Family, Homecoming Friends, The Peasall Sisters, Woody Wright, Ben Speer.
Photographer: Tim Campbell.
Arranger: Buddy Greene.
For CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD, Bill & Gloria Gaither meet up with their usual crowd of Homecoming Friends to boom their resounding message of praise through the pines, elms, and oaks surrounding an isolated church. The assemblage of passionate souls who populate the Gaither world lift up their voices with such thrilling thunder that one could imagine their power filling the woods around the church with devotional spirit.
On this outing, the Gaither group, as it often does, focuses its energy on standard hymns, sung live in the most joyous manner. Jeff & Shari Easter open the festivities with the old-time folk of "Keep on the Sunny Side," and the album continues in that vein. There is an almost Woody Guthrie feel running through the record, particularly when the sweet Peasall Sisters sing the fetching "Farther Along." The celebration closes comfortably with Stephen Hill leading the chorus on the always-welcome "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?"
