George Beverly Shea

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Biography

George Beverly "Bev" Shea (born February 1, 1909) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian -born American Gospel music|gospel singing|singer and hymn composer. Shea has often been described as "America's beloved Gospel singer"Michael Ireland, "America’s ’Beloved Gospel Singer,’ George Beverly Shea, to Celebrate 100th Birthday" ASSIST News Service (30 January 2009); http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09010194.htm . Retrieved 3 February 2009. and is considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world," as a consequence of his solos at Billy Graham Crusades and his exposure on radio, records, and television.Melvin L. Butler, "Globalization of Gospel," in Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, ed. W. K. McNeil (Routledge, 2005):139.Don Cusic, The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel Music (Popular, 1990):182. According to the Guinness Book of Records Shea holds the world record for singing in person to the most people ever, with an estimated cumulative live audience of 220 million people."George Beverly Shea of Canada has sung to the most people during his career on every continent in front of 220 million people, since first becoming the soloist for gospel preacher Billy Graham in 1943 on the radio show “Songs in The Night””;

Biography

Early life and family

George Beverly Shea was born in Winchester, Ontario , Canada on February 1, 1909, the fourth of eight children of Rev. Adam J. Shea (1872–1946), a Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain)|Wesleyan Methodist Church minister, and his wife, Maude Whitney Shea (1881–1971).

Church background

The Shea family served at the Wesleyan Methodist church in Winchester, Ontario , Canada;John Dailey; Decision Magazine, BGEA. Houghton, New York (1917–1921); the Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist church in Ottawa , Ontario, Canada from 1921;"A Brief History of Our Church"; http://www.swc.on.ca/overview/overview_History_swc.phpWesleyan News (8 February 2009); http://www.wesleyan.org/doc/news_r1#article8 at the Willett Memorial Wesleyan Methodist Church at Midler Avenue, Syracuse, New York ; and the Jersey City, New Jersey Wesleyan Methodist church during his youth.

Spiritual background

Shea himself has said that he became a Christian at the age of five or six,Jim Dailey, "A Conversation with George Beverly Shea," Decision Magazine (December 2001); http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp? ArticleID=100 . Retrieved 10 February 2009. but made a re-dedication to Christ when he was 18:

There were times when I needed to rededicate my life to the Lord Jesus. When I was 18, my dad was pastoring a church in Ottawa, and I was feeling not too spiritual. The church was having a "special effort," as they called it, for a week. I remember that on Friday night Dad came down from the pulpit and tenderly placed his hand on my shoulder. He whispered, "I think tonight might be the night, son, when you come back to the Lord." Whatever Dad did or said, I listened to him and respected him. And, yes, that was the night!

Shea accepted Christ again as his Saviour at the Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist Church in Ottawa , Canada .

Musical background

Shea was taught to play the violin by his father, and the piano and organ (music)|organ by his mother. Encyclopedia of Music in Canada ; http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm? PgNm=TCE& Params=U1ARTU0003182 Shea's deep resonant baritone voice brought early recognition and provided many opportunities for him to sing in his father's church."July 2008 Favorite Hymn Story: I'd Rather Have Jesus"; http://www.villagebiblechurchhsv.org/July%2008.html He began singing at religious meetings in the Ottawa Valley.

Education

Shea attended Annesley College in Ottawa , before transferring in 1928 to Houghton College ( Houghton, New York ), where he studied singing with Herman Baker . While studying at Houghton College , Shea sang with the Houghton College Glee Club. Financial difficulties made it necessary for him to terminate his studies in 1929.

Secular employment

After leaving college Shea became a clerk in the medical department in the New York City offices of the Mutual of New York Life Insurance Company, where he worked for the next nine years.

Marriages and children

Shea married his childhood sweetheart, Erma L. Scharfe (1908–1976)Erma Scharfe Shea is interred at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Houghton, Caneadea, Allegany County, New York; http://www.interment.net/data/us/ny/allegany/pleasant/pleasant.htm on 16 June 1934."Shea, George Beverly." Century of Country ; http://www.countryworks.com/artist_full.asp? KEY=SHEA . Retrieved 3 February 2009. Shea and Erma had two children: Ronnie and Elaine.

Shea's children became Christians at an early age. Shea's daughter Elaine became a Christian at the age of 8 during a Billy Graham Crusade at the Cow Palace , San Francisco, California in 1958.Dailey; http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp? ArticleID=100Sherwood Eliot Wirt, ''Billy: A Personal Look at Billy Graham, the World's Best-loved Evangelist (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997):52-55; http://www.ccel.us/billy.ch5.html . Retrieved 10 February 2009.S.E. Wirt, Crusade at the Golden Gate (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1959). In 1959 Ron responded to an invitation by Billy Graham during one of the Crusade meetings in Sydney, Australia and was counseled by Grady Wilson.Stuart Barton Babbage and Ian Siggins, Light Beneath the Cross'' (Melbourne: World's Work, 1960).Sherwood Eliot Wirt, ''Billy: A Personal Look at Billy Graham, the World's Best-loved Evangelist (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997):65; http://www.ccel.us/billy.ch7.html Erma Shea died in September 1976, and funeral|memorial service s were held at Western Springs, Illinois on 8 September 1976."Select Chronology Listing of Events in the History of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association"; http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bgeachro/bgeachron02.htm (updated 10 December 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2009.

On 19 December 1985 Shea married Karlene Aceto (1942 -), a 1972 graduate of Montreat College , Reflection: A Magazine for the Alumni and Friends of Montreat College 6 (Winter 2001):3; http://www.montreat.edu/news/Reflection/Reflections01.pdf . Retrieved 4 February 2009.Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton College, http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bgeachro/bgeachron02.htm in Montreat, North Carolina . In a September 2007 interview Shea recalled how he met and married his second wife, Karlene:

"It has been 20 years of bliss. I was a widower for 10 years in a suburb of Chicago and that's a long time. When we were over in Korea in 1984, Billy brought me into his room and said, 'I've been talking to Ruth, my wife, in Montreat this morning on the phone and we think that 10 years is enough,' and so he mentioned Karlene's name. Mr. Graham didn't do the service. We had the pastor of our church here and he put on his nice robe and we were married in Billy's home.Dan Wooding, "I'd Rather Have Jesus: At 97 years of age, George Beverly Shea is still singing for the Lord" ASSIST News (14 September 2007); http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06386.shtml

Shea, who became a naturalized American citizen in 1941, and his wife, Karlene reside in a home in Montreat, North Carolina "'Joy of Music' Filmed at Montreat College," Reflection: A Magazine for the Alumni and Friends of Montreat College 6 (Winter 2001):3; http://www.montreat.edu/news/Reflection/Reflections01.pdf . Retrieved 4 February 2009. on the same road as Billy Graham's home.Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Zondervan, 2005):244.

Ministry

New York (1929-1939)

As a result of the recommendation of American opera baritone John Charles Thomas (born 6 September 1891 — died 13 December 1960), Shea studied singing under Gino Monaco , Thomas' own vocal coach.Joseph F. Laredo, "A George Beverly Shea Christmas"; http://www.georgebeverlysheamusic.com/

Radio

While working for Mutual Life in New York City Shea appeared on an amateur hour program hosted by Fred Allen on NBC radio . Despite losing to a yodel er, Shea earned second place, and a spot singing popular music on Allen's program, probably a precursor to Allen's '' Fred Allen#"It's Town Hall Tonight!"|Town Hall Tonight .'' Although Shea "impressed the critics and scores of fans", he still didn't feel he had discovered a direction for his life. Ace Collins, ''Turn Your Radio on: The Stories Behind Gospel Music's All-Time Greatest Songs (Zondervan, 1999):104.

In 1933 a network radio director heard Shea sing and was sufficiently impressed and arranged an audition to sing popular secular songs for Your Hit Parade , a national program with the Lyn Murray Singers broadcast on the NBC network. Shea passed the audition and was offered a job, but reluctantly turned the position down because he didn’t feel right about performing secular music.

Shea sang regularly on radio station WHN , and on Erling C. Olsen 's Meditations in the Psalms broadcast on radio station WMCA , as well as doing 30-minute programs from 7-7:30 am on WKBO in Jersey City, New Jersey . Shea also appeared on WKBO 's "the Old Fashioned Gospel Hour.""Mr. Singspiration"; http://www.livinghymns.org/bio.htm . Retrieved 7 February 2009.

Shea sang on the ''Young Person's Church of the Air radio program, which had been started by Percy Crawford (1902–1960)"Papers of Percy Bartimus Crawford and Ruth Crawford Porter, Collection 357" at in Philadelphia in 1931 on Radio station WIP (AM)|WIP .Joel A. Carpenter, Revive Us Again: The Reawakening of American Fundamentalism (Oxford University Press, 1997):164."Papers of Percy Bartimus Crawford and Ruth Crawford Porter - Collection 357" at

Decca Records

Shea began his recording career at the U.S. branch of Decca Records after being signed by A & R representative Jack Kapp , who told Shea: "If you do better than the singer we have in mind, we will give you a contract. If not, you'll have to take the records on yourself. Shea recorded "Jesus Whispers Peace," "Lead Me Gently Home, Father," "I'd Rather Have Jesus," and "God Understands," accompanied by Ruth Crawford (wife of Percy Crawford) on the organ. 7000 copies were sold.

Chicago (1939-1952)

In 1939 Shea auditioned unsuccessfully for a spot on a CBS radio program that originated in Chicago, Illinois .

WMBI (1939-1944)

Soon after Dr. Will Houghton , president of the Moody Bible Institute (MBI) offered Shea a staff position with "duties that included emceeing, interviewing, news-casting, continuity writing, programming, administration, auditioning, and singing"Cusic, 182-183. on radio station WMBI (AM)|WMBI , "the powerhouse of evangelical radio",Joel A. Carpenter, Revive Us Again: The Reawakening of American Fundamentalism (Oxford University Press, 1997):135. the first non-commercial Christian radio station in America, which was owned and operated by the Moody Bible Institute originally on its campus in Chicago . Initially Shea sang on Houghton's ''Let's Go Back to the Bible, from 1939.Cusic, 183. Later he was also involved in Miracles and Melodies, which started on 67 radio stations across the USA in 1940, and was broadcast on 187 different stations in 45 US states, Canada, Latin America and China; and in Hymns From the Chapel each morning at 8:15.

Songs in the Night (1944-1952)

On 2 January 1944 Shea began his ministry as a featured soloist on Billy Graham's Songs in the Night weekly radio program,Jacob Climo and Maria G. Cattell, Social Memory and History: Anthropological Perspectives," 2nd ed. (Rowman Altamira, 2002):23. which was broadcast live on Sunday evenings for 45 minutes from 10.15pmLewis Drummond and Betty Drummond, Women of Awakenings: The Historic Contribution of Women to Revival Movements (Kregel Publications, 1996):337. from the basement of the Village (Baptist) Church at 4475 Wolf Road, Western Springs, Illinois Betsy J. Green, Western Springs, Illinois (Arcadia Publishing, 2002):98-99. pastored by Graham,Sandra Donovan, Billy Graham (Twenty-First Century Books, 2006):39. and transmitted on radio station WMVP|WCFL originating from Chicago, Illinois . The popularity of Shea helped make the previously financially struggling program self-sustaining within weeks.Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald S. Strober, A Day in the Life of Billy Graham: Living the Message (Square One Publishers, 2003):27. The Drummonds indicate that Shea "skyrocketed the broadcast into a great success," so that soon Songs in the Night was broadcast twice on Sundays.

After eight years Shea turned over his duties on this program to Glenn Jorian so that he could devote his energies full-time to the BGEA.Cusic, 166.

Club Time (1944-1952)

In June 1944 Shea resigned from WMBI to sing gospel on a 15 minute weekday radio program, Club Time, the second oldest hymn program on commercial radio. Club Time, initially broadcast on Radio station WCFL, was sponsored by Herbert J. Taylor (18 April 1893 – 1 May 1978), a Christian businessman who headed Club Aluminum of Chicago. According to Cusic:

Shea's job was to host the program and sing several songs, including the favorite hymn of various famous people. It was on "Club Time" that Beverly Shea became George Beverly Shea at the insistence of the advertising agency; it seems they felt most listeners were confused by a man named "Beverly."

Club Time was broadcast nationally from September 1945 for the next seven years over the Citadel Media|ABC Radio and Armed Forces Network s and many independent stations. This show brought Shea national recognition, and by 1951 Shea was the most prominent male soloist in gospel music.Don Cusic, The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel Music (Popular Press of the University of Wisconsin, 1990):135.

Singspiration (1947)

By the summer of 1947 Shea was signed to the Singspiration Sacred Recordings label,James E. Ruark, The House of Zondervan: Celebrating 75 Years," rev. ed. (Zondervan, 2006):100-101. which had been founded by Dr. Alfred B. Smith (born 8 November 1916 — died 9 August 2001) in 1941, where he sang on a number of 78 rpm albums, including "Bass Baritone" (Singspiration "Treasure Chest Series" LP S-100) and "Lead Me Gently Home, Father" (Singspiration LP 156).

Evangelistic meetings (1942-1947)

Summer of 1942

In the summer of 1942 Shea took a leave of absence from WMBI to join Word of Life Fellowship|Word Of Life (WOL) evangelist Jack Wyrtzen for evangelistic crusades in the New York area. He spent this summer traveling throughout New Jersey , New York , and Connecticut , singing at youth rallies while also singing on WHN on Sunday mornings.

Youth for Christ (1942)

When Shea returned to Chicago in September 1942, he talked with Torrey Johnson about conducting youth meetings in that area and soon " Chicagoland#Chicagoland|Chicagoland Youth For Christ " was held in Orchestra Hall, Chicago|Orchestra Hall on Michigan Avenue, Chicago , with Shea singing and Billy Graham speaking. From this initial concert, Johnson founded Youth for Christ (YFC). Shea sang in YFC rallies across the U.S. and Canada.

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1947 to present)

According to Don Cusic, "Shea and Billy Graham are the prime examples of an evangelical Christianity with mainstream appeal after World War II. Previously the evangelicals and fundamentalism|fundamentalists were on the fringes of American religion; Shea and Graham put it in the mainstream."Cusic, 181. According to David Poling, "central to Billy's successful ministry are the years of loyal service of people like George Beverly Shea, the first staff member to be hired by Graham back in the Chicago radio days."David Poling, Why Billy Graham? (Sunstone Press, 2007):143. Shea has been involved as a soloist with Billy Graham and his ministry, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) since 1947.

Shea first met Billy Graham in 1940 while Graham was pastor of the Village Church in Western Springs, Illinois . In a September 2007 interview Shea recalled how he first met Billy Graham:

"One morning, there was a rap on my office door. I looked out and there was a tall young man with blond hair and we shook hands. He was 21 and I was 31. It was Billy Graham and he had traveled in from Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College on a train just to say 'hello.' He said he listened to my morning hymn show called 'Hymns From The Chapel.' That's how we first got acquainted. I came into this work with Mr. Graham in 1947 after we had exchanged letters and talked on the phone. He said he wanted me to be his gospel singer. I thanked him but told him the only gospel singers I've ever heard about would sing a verse or two and stop and talk a while. 'Would I have to do that? ' I asked him. He chuckled and said, 'I hope not.' With that, I said, 'Well, I'd like to come with you.' That was in November of 1947 and I've been with him ever since."

In 1948 Shea, along with Graham, Barrows and Grady Wilson, formulated a set of ethical guidelines, later designated The Modesto Manifesto, that became the cornerstone of the BGEA.Terry Whalin, ''Billy Graham: America's Greatest Evangelist (W. Terry Whalin, 2002):63. Shea, along with Graham, Barrows, Grady Wilson and George Wilson, is one of the five directors of the BGEA.Terry Whalin, Billy Graham: America's Greatest Evangelist (W. Terry Whalin, 2002):81.

Billy Graham Crusades (1947 to present)

Shea sang at the unofficial launching of Graham's crusades in the old Armory in Charlotte, North Carolina in November 1947. His first song was "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story." Jerri Menges, "Then Sings My Soul: George Beverly Shea at 100," Decision Magazine (February 2009); http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article.asp? ArticleID=1070 . Retrieved 8 February 2009. In the early days of his association with Graham, Shea earned a wage for each meeting.Donovan, 46.

Since the beginning of Graham's crusade ministry Shea and Cliff Barrows have been the nucleus of the crusade musical team. Barrows is choir director, platform emcee and radio-television program director. They were joined in 1950 by pianist Tedd Smith , and through the years organists Don Hustad and John Innes have provided additional accompaniment.For the Crusade at Harringay, London, UK in 1952(? ) the organist was Paul Mickelson .

Shea's role in Billy Graham Crusades

As the musical mainstay in Graham's crusades, Shea is often called "America's beloved Gospel singer." In each crusade Shea "brings a quiet solo immediately preceding ... Graham's message. His solo serves as a transition from the song service into the message."R. Alan Streett, ''The Effective Invitation: A Practical Guide for the Pastor." 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004):197. Collins indicates: "Shea's solos set the tone for the preacher's messages. With his full, rich baritone Shea not only charmed audiences, he also touched them with the message of each song he chose."Collins, Radio, 106. Graham said that Shea always prepared his crowds by singing before the message, and he felt the song was more powerful than the sermon.Keith Johnson, ''I Know Where I've Been. I'm Just Not Sure Where I'm Going (Xulon Press, 2003):60. According to Billy Graham in a 2002 interview in The Ottawa Citizen ,"

"I've been listening to Bev Shea sing for more than 50 years, and I would still rather hear him sing than anyone else I know."Billy Graham, quoted in The Ottawa Citizen (19 July 2002); in ''Ask Billy Graham: The World's Best-Loved Preacher Answers Your Most Important Questions," comp. Bill Adler (Thomas Nelson, 2007):62.

Shea himself indicated the importance of his solo: "Billy looks forward to the solo before the message as a time for people to quiet down and for him to gather strength."

Shea also made a valuable contribution to the increased effectiveness of Graham's crusades. According to R. Alan Streett:

For a number of years the entire congregation sang the invitational hymn, until Bev Shea suggested that the choir alone handle the assignment. Shea remembered how he, as an eighteen-year-old lad, was convicted by the Spirit as a choir sang " Just as I Am (hymn)|Just As I Am ." He felt the effects of a soft choir number could be used by God to touch people's hearts.R. Alan Streett, The Effective Invitation: A Practical Guide for the Pastor." 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004):196.

One day Shea suggested to Graham:

Have you ever thought of saying, "As the choir sings, you come"? With just the choir singing there might be more contemplation upon the Holy Spirit's call. Soon after that, for the first time in his growing ministry, he began to say at the close of every service, "As the choir sings, you come!"

Hour of Decision (1950)

The Hour of Decision radio program was produced in the recording studio of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina . On 5 December 1950 the Hour of Decision radio broadcasts began in Atlanta, Georgia on 150 radio stations. By its fifth week Hour of Decision had the largest audience of any religious radio program in history. By 1952 Shea sang regularly on this program.

Because of Shea's weekly singing on the Hour of Decision radio broadcast since 1950 and his numerous personal appearances, his voice is recognized now in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and throughout North America.

Recording career (1951 to present)

Shea has recorded approximately 500 vocal solos on more than seventy album s (including nine compact disc s) of religious music on both the RCA and Word Records labels. Shea has recorded songs with orchestral accompaniment, as arranged and conducted by musical directors, such as Hugo Winterhalter , Ralph Carmichael , Bill Walker, Nathan Scott , Norman Leyden , Jimmy Owens (musician)|Jimmy Owens , Kurt Kaiser , Danny Davis (country musician)|Danny Davis , Charles Grean , and Radio City Music Hall organist, Ray Bohr . His albums have been produced by RCA’s Steve Sholes , Brad McCuen , Darol Rice , Cliff Barrows , Don Hustad , Bill Fasig , and John Innes.

RCA (1951)

In 1951 Shea was signed to the RCA record label by Sam Wallace and Elmer Eades , after being "discovered" by Paul Barkmeyer . His first album was entitled Inspirational Songs, produced by Stephen H. Sholes (born 12 February 1911; died 22 April 1968) and backed by the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra. During Shea's first four years with RCA his records did not recover the cost of recording and pressing, but by the end of the 1950s he enjoyed major record success.

Notable songs

Shea is best known for his rendition of " How Great Thou Art (hymn)|How Great Thou Art ," the English translation by Rev. Stuart K. Hine of the Sweden|Swedish song "O Store Gud," written in 1886 in music|1886 by Rev. Carl Boberg (1859–1940). Arguably Shea's most popular hymn is "The Wonder of It All," the title of which was also used by the UNC-TV|University of North Carolina Center for Public Television for their 1998 production of his life story.

Song writing

''I'd Rather Have Jesus (1932)

In 1932 Shea composed the tune to "I'd Rather Have Jesus," the words of which were written by Rhea F. Miller (1894–1966),Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 More Hymn Stories: The Inspiring True Stories Behind 101 Favorite Hymns (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1985):138. the wife of Dr. Howard Miller (minister)|Howard Miller , later a general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene . When RCA signed Shea to a recording contract, "the song that the company chose to initially spotlight their new singer was "I'd Rather Have Jesus."

The Wonder of It All (1955)

Shea also wrote both the lyrics and music for "The Wonder of It All," which was copyrighted originally by Chancel Music in 1956. Let There be Praise! (Review and Herald, 1988): Hymn 53

Writing career

Shea authored a number of books including an autobiography, Then Sings My Soul (1968); Songs That Lift the Heart (1972); How Sweet the Sound (2004); and Stories Behind 50 Southern Gospel Favorites, Vol. 2 (2005).

Film and television career

Television appearances

Hour of Decision (1951-1954)

Shea appeared on television on Billy Graham's Hour of Decision television program that was broadcast for three years from 1951 in primetime on Sunday evenings on the American Broadcasting Company|ABC television network.William Martin, "Billy Graham Crusades" in Encyclopedia of Television," ed. Horace Newcomb, 2nd ed. (CRC Press, 2004):264.

Madison Garden Crusade (Summer 1957)

Shea sang "How Great Thou Art" in the ABC live Broadcasting|telecasts each Saturday evening from 1 June of Billy Graham's Crusade in Madison Square Garden , in New York city in the summer of 1957. These telecasts attracted an average audience of over 6.4 million viewers.

The Wonder of It All (1998)

In 1998 North Carolina Public Television produced "The Wonder of It All," a television program on his life story.

George Beverly Shea (2009)

North Carolina Public Television's news program "North Carolina Now" interviewed Shea. Mitchell Lewis conducted a four-part interview with the man known as "America's Most Beloved Gospel Singer."

Films

Oiltown, U.S.A. (1953)

Shea's first theatrical film was Oiltown, U.S.A., which was produced in 1953 by the BGEA's World Wide Pictures. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0991279/

The Mighty Fortress (1955)

Shea performed the hymn Amazing Grace in The Mighty Fortress, a 1955 newsreel film of the Billy Graham's 1954 Crusade for Europe, that was produced and directed by Paul Short . http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1222311/

''Pilgrim's Progress (1977)

In Ken Anderson (Christian Filmmaker)|Ken Anderson 's 1977 film ''Pilgrim's Progress, Shea was the narrator, and Academy Award|Oscar -nominated actor Liam Neeson made his film debut. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359836/

Then Sings My Soul (1984)

In 1984 Shea featured in Then Sings My Soul, a film musical film|musical / Documentary film|documentary produced by World Wide Pictures .

The New Orleans Story (2008)

Shea appeared as himself in the 2008 documentary on the effects of Hurricane Katrina in The New Orleans Story, written and directed by Stephen Rue.

Awards and honors

During his career Shea was nominated for ten Grammy Award s, winning on 15 March 1966 the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance|Best Gospel or Other Religious Recording (Musical) for his album "Southland Favorites" (RCA LSP-3440) recorded with the Anita Kerr Quartet., vol. 78, Nr 13, 26 Mar 1966, s. 12, 13. ISSN 0006-2510.

In 1978, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association and for his lifelong contribution to gospel music. On 18 February 1982 Shea was awarded the Gold Angel Award for Country Music award by Religion in Media in Hollywood, California ."Select Chronology Listing of Events in the History of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association"; http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bgeachro/bgeachron02.htm

The Christian Holiness Association (now Christian Holiness Partnership ) presented Shea its Christian Service Award in 1993. In 1996 the association of National Religious Broadcasters voted Shea into its "Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame."

On 11 September 1999 Shea received the Integrity Award from Marketplace Ministries in Dallas, Texas . Shea also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gospel Music Association Canada ( GMA Canada ) in 2004. He was presented the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative, the highest honor of the city of Marshfield, Missouri in 2007 by friend Reverend Nicholas W. Inman. Shea sang at the dedication of the Billy Graham Library the following day.

On 12 February 2011 Shea received the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award alongside Julie Andrews , Roy Haynes , the Juilliard String Quartet , the Kingston Trio , Dolly Parton and the Ramones at a ceremony held at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles , California ."Grammys honour 102-year-old Canadian." CBC News. 13 February 2011. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2011/02/13/grammys-shea.html

Honorary degrees

In 1956 Shea received an honorary doctorate , the Doctor of Fine Arts , from his alma mater , Houghton College . In 1972, Shea received another honorary doctorate, the Doctor of Sacred Music (D Sacred MUS), from Trinity College (now Trinity International University ) of Deerfield, Illinois .

Later years

Shea celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday February 1, 2009. It was mentioned by the NBC network's The Today Show's Willard Scott on January 29, 2009, and ABC's Paul Harvey on January 31, 2009. Shea outlived Harvey, who died four weeks later.

Biographical Book

Shea is the subject of an authorized biography, George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story, by Paul Davis, which was released on April 15, 2009.

References in popular culture

Shea and How Great Thou Art (hymn)|How Great Thou Art are mentioned in Patricia Cornwell 's 1998 best-selling novel ''Hornet's Nest. Patricia Cornwell, Hornet's Nest'', Large Print ed. (Berkley Books, 1998):26. There is an allusion to Shea in Brad Whittington's Bildungsroman|coming of age novel Living with Fred. Brad Whittington, Living with Fred (B& H Publishing Group, 2005):105. Shea is mentioned in the Christian novel The Peacemakers, the final volume in Jack Cavanaugh 's "American Family Portrait" series.Jack Cavanaugh, The Peacemakers (David C. Cook, 2006):402.

Copyright Citations

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1. George Hamilton IV 2. Ralph Carmichael

Undetermined Music Artists

George Beverly Shea

Biography

Biography

Early life and family

Church background

Spiritual background

Musical background

Education

Secular employment

Marriages and children

Ministry

New York (1929-1939)

Radio

Decca Records

Chicago (1939-1952)

WMBI (1939-1944)

Songs in the Night (1944-1952)

Club Time (1944-1952)

Singspiration (1947)

Evangelistic meetings (1942-1947)

Summer of 1942

Youth for Christ (1942)

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1947 to present)

Billy Graham Crusades (1947 to present)

Shea's role in Billy Graham Crusades

Hour of Decision (1950)

Recording career (1951 to present)

RCA (1951)

Notable songs

Song writing

''I'd Rather Have Jesus (1932)

The Wonder of It All (1955)

Writing career

Film and television career

Television appearances

Hour of Decision (1951-1954)

Madison Garden Crusade (Summer 1957)

The Wonder of It All (1998)

George Beverly Shea (2009)

Films

Oiltown, U.S.A. (1953)

The Mighty Fortress (1955)

''Pilgrim's Progress (1977)

Then Sings My Soul (1984)

The New Orleans Story (2008)

Awards and honors

Honorary degrees

Later years

Biographical Book

References in popular culture

References

Further reading

External links

Copyright Citations