As a sophomore in high school, Ernie Haase fell in love with the music of renowned southern gospel singers Bill and Gloria Gaither. More than 30 years later, his longtime dream of paying tribute to their time-honored songs came true in 2020 with the release of his Grammy-nominated album “Something Beautiful.”
“In every genre of music, there are those song writing teams that just transcend the artform, whether that’s Lennon-McCartney or Rogers and Hammerstein. In gospel, it’s the Gaithers,” says Haase.
Haase, a three-time Grammy nominee with Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, wanted to honor the “the greatest songwriting team in their genre” while they were still alive. He first met the Gaithers in 1990 when he was singing with a group called the Cathedral Quartet.
They bonded over both being Hoosiers (the Gaithers are from Alexandria, Indiana and Haase is from Newburgh, Indiana) and have mentored Haase throughout his career.
“The relationship is very special beyond the music,” he says. “They are my personal friends and mentors.”
The pandemic-ridden 2020 altered Haase’s usual touring after the release of “Something Beautiful” in April. Signature Sound took a year off from touring but found a new way to still bring their music to their fans in the form of weekly Friday night webisodes.
“We see a lot of people when we tour, but we quadrupled our crowd,” he says. “We were seeing anywhere from 25,000 to 35,000 people every week on our Friday Night Sing.”
Despite a well-established, 33-year career, Haase is continuing to reinvent himself while letting the music stand on its own. He was thrilled to be nominated for a Grammy this past Sunday in the Best Roots Gospel Album category.
“The art we are producing still catches the ear and the heart,” he says.
Haase, a Castle High School graduate, still has ties to the area, including funding an endowed scholarship for students who want to further their career in the arts. He will return to Newburgh Dec. 19 for Signature Sound’s annual Christmas concert.
“When people listen to the album, I hope that people feel connected to their creator and when that happens, nobody can speak tones of love to your heart than the one who made you,” he says. “And if that happens, that’s the only voice that matters. Something beautiful is going to happen in your life.”
For more information about Ernie Haase and Signature sound, visit erniehaase.com.
