Local ‘Music Man’ returns to his roots and first love in new journey

North Idaho church and professional musician Chris James Gootherts is a testament to the tried-and-true phrase that it is hard to keep a good man down – or in Gootherts’ case, a passionate pianist from making music and sharing it with others.

“Music is a conversation without words. I’m a talkative person so that works out wonderfully for me, and I love it,” he said.

For over 50 years, Gootherts has used his “God-given” abilities and charismatic personality to connect with audiences locally and across the country.

“When I play and people compliment me, I like to say, ‘I show up and move the fingers; it’s God moving your heart,’ ” he smiled.

Last June, 69-year-old Gootherts who lives in Hauser, Idaho, retired from “corporate life” where he was involved in human resources and recruiting. He is looking forward to the “freedom and creative time” and said he’s now embarking on a journey of revival.

“I’m relaunching my music career full time, and I’m really excited about it,” Gootherts said. “There were a lot of lessons learned through all these years. It is very natural to go back to my roots.”

A special pedigree

At age 7, Gootherts began to play piano, and at age 17, he launched into performances at nightclubs, weddings and a Christian church in Corte Madera, California. Music became a companion and a love of his.

“I was generally shunned by my peers due to being overweight, which caused me to be at home and practicing piano more than being outside with friends,” Gootherts reflected.

But in a positive way, his childhood continued to shape him into the musician he is today.

“I grew up in the music business as my father Mervin was a top trumpet player in San Francisco, who would be the first-call to play with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and other famous swing and jazz famous people in those days,” he recalled. “As a kid, I would sit in the light booth and listen, then I had a chance to meet the artists. It was pretty cool, really!”

When Gootherts was 23, his dad died of a heart attack at age 60.

“Something clicked inside of me, and I decided to move into playing jazz,” he said.

He never looked back.

A powerful three

He credits a triad foundation of faith, music and his relationship with his wife Jane – established in his youth – as the pivotal sources of his creative and spiritual inspiration, which allows him to do what he does.

“I do think music touches the soul in a direct way that bypasses our cerebral,” he said. “And I want to put music out in the world in a positive perspective.”

Gootherts said his faith in Jesus is “the central point of his life,” and everything he is and does revolves around it.

“God reached Chris, the gift of faith, through his music when he was in a Christian youth group at age 14,” said Jane Gootherts, who first met him there in their hometown of Corte Madera, California, and who has been his partner for 47 years.

Neither of them was raised with a religious influence. In 2010 while living in Renton, Washington, and attending the local Catholic church, the couple converted to Catholicism.

“Chris has always had a love of playing piano in church,” Jane Gootherts said. “He has a sense of his spirit transcending into the heavens with his music, to worship the Lord.”

Illustrious achievements over the years

Chris Gootherts list of musical career accomplishments are varied and many. He’s been a composer, recording artist, music director, producer and arranger in both the Christian and secular jazz worlds. Early in his career, he was active in the contemporary Christian music scene playing church venues with 100 to 2,500 attendees and concert venues drawing audiences up to 25,000.

In the ’80s and ’90s he toured jazz festivals and colleges nationally and has shared the stage with jazz legends such Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Sarah Vaughan and others, while performing at the Monterey Jazz Festival and other jazz festivals, cruises, clubs and concerts throughout the United States.

Serving his community

Chris Gootherts dazzles audiences with his depth and breadth, ranging from jazz classics to original material to a splash of spiritual saunter. His concerts cover tempos from fast -paced and snappy to smooth and slow melodic along with lots of stories and humor mixed between the songs.

At a recent September benefit concert in Coeur d’Alene, he opened the event playfully announcing, “I hope you can hear my piano over my loud shirt.”

His shows offer and deliver an experience beyond the entertainment.

Coeur d’Alene friend Donna Miller has seen Chris Gootherts perform both at her St. Pius X Catholic Church during Mass and at area community events. She said his music is “something so special” and deeply touching.

“The instrument loves him. It’s just as mesmerizing moving with him to the rhythm of his craft as it is just to listen to the intricate patterns and trills, he creates,” Miller said.

She met Chris Gootherts three years ago through church.

“He had composed a new liturgical score for Mass and his fingers flew across the keys effortlessly. I was in awe.”

“For Mass I do love hearing music I have written for the Gloria, Sanctus, etc., sung by the congregation, as it indicates the Lord used me when I wrote those pieces. That so pleases me!” Chris Gootherts shared.

Devotion to church ministry

Longtime Catholic friend and fellow musician/vocalist George DeRuyter joined Chris Gootherts on stage that September evening. In introducing DeRuyter, Chris Gootherts humbly shared a reality of his own.

“God blessed me with these” he said wiggling his fingers high in the air “but not these” pointing to his vocal cords.

De Ruyter lives in Liberty Lake and has been singing and collaborating musically with Chris Gootherts for over 12 years. They share a sacred zeal for Mass music ministry.

Chris Gootherts leads the music at three different parishes for their Masses twice a month including St. Mary’s in Spokane, St. Joseph’s in Otis Orchards and St. Pius X in Coeur d’Alene.

“Chris has been a friend and mentor to me,” DeRuyters said . “He has encouraged and sometimes even pushed me to further my faith journey, perhaps even without knowing it,” he said. “I’m so blessed to worship with him week after week.”

The new chapter to come

Chris Gootherts is ecstatic, energized and hopeful about the unknown path before him. He’s quickening his step and leaning into it without hesitation.

“I’ve always performed in different bands wherever I was in my life. It’s just a matter of sharing my music anywhere and everywhere I can now,” Chris Gootherts said. And he isn’t missing a beat in doing so, it appears.

Chris Gootherts’ passion and his fast-moving fingers are being channeled into three area bands including the Coeur d’Alene Big Band (’40s -style swing), Dr. Phil and the Enablers (rock and blues), and the Chris James Quartet (jazz and popular past hits). He also plans to continue his church music ministry and retirement center performances, while adding a few holiday concerts to the mix.

“It feels like a continuum. The spirit has led me through good and bad all my life for the purpose of being closer to God,” he said. “I know I’m going to make new mistakes and that’s OK.”

For Chris Gootherts, it’s somewhat of a mystery what is on the horizon, but he’s comfortable with that because his mission is clear.

“What I really want to do is have an opportunity to spread the gospel through music and give people an opportunity to feel it,” he said.

Chris Gootherts invites and welcomes the Inland Northwest community to “join him soon” in experiencing his humor, storytelling and spirit-filled piano tunes.

“I hope my audiences simply have a musically good time with me,” he said.

To follow Chris Gootherts, purchase his music and to learn more about his upcoming performances, go to triunitymusic.com.