Gordon Mote is name you see on tons of recordings listed as the piano/keyboard player by such artists as the Gaither Vocal Band, Greenes, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Martins, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, and countless others. Being a much sought after musician has afforded Gordon a chance to do what he loves, live comfortably and be at home every day. But over the last couple of years, God has opened the door and has allowed Gordon to see what he has been preparing for since he first started playing the piano at 3 years old and has given him a passion for reaching people. I had a chance at a recent Homecoming concert to talk with Gordon about his music and the vision God has instilled in him. Below is part of our conversation.
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James: How did you start playing the piano?
Gordon: I started playing when I was 3 years old. We were at my Grandmothers house for Thanksgiving and the women were cooking and the men were watching football and everybody heard the piano and everybody thought it was mom because mom played the piano sometimes at church, but mom was pretty sure it wasn't her. (laughing) They just purchased the piano a few months prior and mom thought that dad may have taken piano lessons secretly and had surprised her. They both met in the family room with some of the family and they saw me playing "Jesus Loves Me" and honestly, I've been playing ever since.
James: And you've been blind since birth, correct?
Gordon: Yes.and you know, I think it's been a lot easier for me than for someone who had their sight for a long and then lost it.
James: You've been primarily a studio musician for years. Now you're on the front lines singing and playing in churches and concerts across the country.
Gordon: I'm still a studio musician when I'm home and still love doing that. My passion though is doing this out here. God has given me a great opportunity to do both, and I'm so grateful for that.
James: Did you ever see yourself being a performer, rather than a studio musician?
Gordon: Everybody told me I was supposed to be doing this. I grew up thinking that this is what I supposed to do. My brother and I sang in churches all the time when we were little and our mom and dad took us everywhere. I had a few close brushes with country music and even had a couple a really close record deals and for whatever reason, right at the very end it'd fall through. We'd date, get all the way to the altar and for some reason something would happen and we wouldn't sign the deal. That happened 4 or 5 times and finally I figured out that wasn't God's plan for me, and I was okay with that, because by that time, my career had become pretty good as far as a studio guy was concerned. So when Bob Rodgers at RSI Music Group came to me, I wasn't really interested. Though I was flattered that he would think of me, I didn't really want to do that at the time.
A year or so went by and I just didn't have any peace and I came to the point one day while I was sitting outside on the porch at the house and said "alright Lord, I don't have any peace about this and if you want me to do this record and travel and sing, I need you to give me the passion for it because I really don't have it." And he gave it to me. I love the traveling, though this weekend was a bummer for me because my little girl has a recital tomorrow that I'm missing and my little boy has a baseball game and my brother in law is getting married. So, some weekends are a bummer and you miss things, and it's a sacrifice but if you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you're doing what God has called you to do, then it does make it easier to deal with.
James: I'm sure that much like me, many people had no clue you could also sing. With the release of "There's No Place That Love Can't Reach", many people were very pleasantly surprised and really liked what they heard.
Gordon: I'm really proud of that record and really feel like it was a good first effort. I had no idea that it was going to do as well as it did. Two years ago we were in a car. A year ago, we got an RV, and now we're in a bus. The doors has just opened.it's amazing.just totally amazing how God orchestrated everything. If I could share with you the whole story of how everything fell into place, it would be a whole other article. But, when you give in to what God wants you to do, He makes a way. He does things that you have no idea can be done. And that's a lesson for us all to learn, but we have to learn it everyday.He proves Himself time and time again, and we still don't get it.but that's another sermon.and I'm preaching to myself more than anyone! (laughing)
James: "The Old Gospel Ship" has done very well for you. Have you been surprised at the response?
Gordon: You know.the funny thing is, we weren't going to release it. It was too long, but they kept saying we should do a radio edit and release it. But I do it every night out here, and the people seem to really love it. It got such a great response on the road, and people kept telling me we were missing out by not releasing it. So, we had to choose between that and the title song, "There's No Place that Love Can't Reach", and we ended up going with "Gospel Ship."
James: You have a new album coming out soon don't you?
Gordon: Yes we do and it is supposed to be coming out August 9th. It's called "Don't Let me Miss the Glory" and I am incredibly proud of it and I think it's a huge step forward for us. I had a lot of people join me on the album as well. The Gaither Vocal Band join me on a song, the Isaacs sing with me on a song, Charlotte Ritchie sings with me, my wife Kimberly and I sing a duet on the record, Allison Krause joins me on a song.so it's a collaborative effort between me and a lot of people.I got a lot of help this time. I'm really grateful that my friends would help me out like they did. I've played on a lot of their albums, so it was really nice having them sing with me on my record. And the great thing was not that they sang on it, but that they wanted to, and that meant a lot to me. I had a lot of my Nashville friends play on the record and it really was a lot of fun for me, and I think people are really going to like it.
James: What's the first single?
Gordon: The first single is probably going to be "Wake up Dancing". We are talking about possibly releasing that to Country radio as a crossover tune. Some other songs we're looking at releasing down the road are "Mercy Walked In", "Maplewood Methodist Church", which is the song we did with Allison Krause, "Get up in Jesus' Name" with the Gaither Vocal Band.we really feel we have a lot of tunes to chose from. Also, the title song, "Don't Let me Miss the Glory" is a worship anthem, it's the cousin to the Gaither Vocal Band's "Glorious Impossible".
James: It sounds like you have a little bit of everything on this record.
Gordon: We really do, but you know, it all makes sense. It all reads like a book. The Voices of Lee join me on the first song called "Adoration", and it's a real worshipful song, but it has that Keith Urban groove. Like I said, it all works together and there's something for everybody. It's hard for me to do one style because I have so many influences. I just want to be who I am, and not fit into just one thing. That's the great thing with working with RSI and Bob; they are open to letting us be who we are. It's all about reaching people, and if we have some radio success, then we're grateful for it.but we want these songs to affect people in our concerts and we want these songs to touch people.
James: Do you have a favorite song, or particular songs that are special to you?
Gordon: Boy, that's hard! They're all a different part of my heart, but there is a song that I wrote with Chaz Bosarge called "The Other Side of Time". Though it probably won't be a single, it's a song I really wanted to write. My brother and I are both blind, we have a cousin who is mentally handicapped, my mom married a wonderful man who has a daughter with Cerebral Palsy, and we have a lot of relatives with various handicaps. I've known people who had a baby and they knew before the baby was born that it was going to have Downs Syndrome, and I've met people who have lost their baby for some reason or another. In fact, my 10-year-old daughter, Samantha, has a friend who's mother just recently lost a baby. Basically, the song talks about the loss of babies and all these other hardships we sometimes have to endure in this life, and it says that on the other side of time it'll all make sense, all our questions will be answered.on the other side of time broken things are healed and empty things are filled as we stand in Heaven's light.on the other side of time, it's more than just a dream, children laugh and sing, and every heart is free, there's perfect peace on the other side of time. So, I think that's going to be a real powerful song and in our concerts I think it's going to be a healing song for a lot of people.
James: It seems to me that you really have a story to tell in your music.
Gordon: We don't know why we get put through these things sometimes and you just have to believe that God has a greater plan. There are times that my being blind is such a bummer like when Kimberly and the kids are sick, and I can't run to the store to buy medicine. But, you can't let it get you down. You have to play with the hand you're dealt with sometimes. I've had a lot of people tell me how encouraged they are by my story. Sometimes it's not about the music.sometimes it's about being who you are and encouraging people. You never know what a handshake or a hug or 5 minutes of your attention can do for somebody. What we do on stage is just the beginning, that's what opens the door. It's all about reaching people and touching people, hugging people, loving on them and talking to them. God give us an opportunity to make a difference, and I think he expects that of us and it's a quite a big responsibility. And it's not just to the people within the body of Christ; it's anyone that God puts in our path.
For so long, my mission field was the studio. I've had a chance to really talk to a lot of artists and musicians. Kid Rock started asking me about my faith, so I got a chance to actually witness to him. Bob Segar called me and said that he really loved my CD. He said he had to pull off the road because he was so overcome by emotion. What he didn't know was that was the Holy Spirit, he didn't recognize that. It wasn't my singing, but the Holy Spirit tugging at his heart. I'm grateful to be where I am.
James: The last couple of years you've been put in a place most piano players only dream of. You've had some huge shoes to fill with the death of Anthony Burger. How was that transition?
Gordon: I thought it would be really difficult. I remember telling Kimberly that I hated whoever had to take his place, because that was going to be tough. At the time, I had already been doing some select Homecoming dates, but it never crossed my mind that I would be doing what I am doing now with the tour, and it didn't happen right off, as Bill took his time and let things go for a while before naming anyone.
But as far as how easy.the fans have been wonderful, for the most part. Of course, there's been some of that "I like your playing but you're no Anthony." People say funny things, but I just say "thank you". (laughing) I don't take it personally, because I'm not trying to be Anthony. I'll tell you what's made it easy.not only the fans, but also the whole Gaither organization has been wonderful. We have the best crew.nobody has any idea how hard this crew works. We have the best camera people, the best sound people, and so on, and they don't get any credit. The fans have no idea what it takes to put on these concerts, and I'm telling you.those people have made it so easy and have really gone out of their way to make me feel like part of the family.
James: And too, with Bill Gaither, he's not looking for anyone to take someone's place. Like with Anthony, he wasn't looking for another Anthony Burger, he wanted Gordon Mote and wants you to create your own niche in the organization.
Gordon: And I'm grateful for that. You know, Bill wants everybody to win. The people trust him and they know he's not going to let them down. I'm happy to have his endorsement.you couldn't ask for a better endorsement in our industry. Bill was a big believer in my record and it seems that me being with the tour is a perfect fit and it's worked out great. The audience has been wonderful, and I think they appreciate the fact that I'm not trying to be like Anthony. I think that's made it easier for them to accept.
James: Who inspired you musically or professionally?
Gordon: Pig Robbins was a great influence on me. As far playing country music, he's the best there is. I listen to Pop, Jazz.and I've gotten to work with some of the people I admired growing up, so that has really been cool to work with James Taylor, who is someone I grew up admiring. Also, Bruce Hornsby, though I haven't played on one of his albums, when I was touring with Lee Greenwood, we performed with Hornsby, and he was so complimentary and so nice about my playing, so that was really cool.
I'm just influenced by so much, and it's not just piano either. I love bluegrass too. I love all the big band stuff, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra.Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald.Chicago, Toto.all were great musical influences for me.
James: I know your musical tastes are very wide. What's in your CD player?
Gordon: Lately, I've been listening to Tony Rice. The Isaacs' "Big Sky" is one I've been listening to a lot. That's an unbelievable record.those Isaacs have way too much talent. Also I'm listening to Allison Krause, Ricky Skaggs. it seems lately I've been grassin' it pretty hard. (laughing) Not sure if it's a phase or what. Also, there's a guy named Scotty Emerick, he's a songwriter guy and if I could sing like anybody, it would be him.
Also, I have a stack of Kingsmen records on CD that a friend of mine gave me and I love the Kingsmen. When I was a kid, I thought the Kingsmen just ruled! The Happy Goodmans, Hinsons.I thought they were the greatest! I was listening to some of those Kingsmen CDs last night and it brought back so many memories growing up. Oh man, "Standing on the Solid Rock" and "The Old Ship of Zion" on Chattanooga Live, man those were great songs. On "The Old Ship of Zion", as a kid, I had memorized where all the shoutin' was.and what they said. Back in those days with the Kingsmen, Goodmans and Hinsons and even the Primitive.that live album of theirs with "Gloryland".man they left all the shoutin' on there and it was great and I loved it!
James: What is something that a lot of fans may not know about you?
Gordon: I do have hobbies outside of music.I'm a huge sports fan.I love to read and listen to audio books.when I'm home, I love to be hanging out with the kids and Kimberly and playing with my dog. I love being outside and playing basketball with my son. I also collect old radio shows. I have thousands of old radio shows like Lone Ranger, Jack Benny, Gunsmoke.I love the westerns and mystery shows like the Whistler and Dragnet.I just love all those old radio shows from the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
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Find out more about Gordon Mote at his website: http://www.gordonmote.com
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 07/01/2007
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 4
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Great interview James. I really enjoy Gordon's music and his testimony. I ran into him and his family at Dollywood last year. His wife was taking a picture of him and their kids so I offered to take it for her so she could be in it. I wanted so bad to say something to him but for the first time in my life I got shy LOL ...but I also didn't want to interrupt his time with his family, especially at that time when he was just announced as the new pianist on the Gaither Tour. Thanks for another great article James, keep it up!
I loved your song about catching fish. You seem to have a unique style to singing and playing. Very enjoyable.
Whenever I pick up the album of another artist and see the name "Gordon Mote" as one of the players or producer, I buy it knowing it will have a little extra spice that is only Gordon Mote. I've had the pleasure of seeing you both in the studio and on stage with the Booth Brothers and you truly are an inspiration. Most people don't realize how personable and funny you are! And you also work with some class people like Bob Rogers. Gordon, please know that during those rough times, people are praying for you and you truly are changing lives. God Bless you!
Thanks for the article and interview with Gordon Mote. He is the greatest, I just love it when he does The Old Gospel Ship. I really feel like I am sailing throught the air to see Jesus. Keep up the good work Gordon and my best to your family. Martha Morgan Birmingham, Alabama
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