George Beverly Shea

SHEA, George Beverly. b. Winchester, Ontario, 1 February 1909; d. Montreat, North Carolina, 16 April 2013. Shea was a celebrated vocalist, hymn writer, and composer. His long tenure with the Billy Graham Crusades, five decades of concerts, appearances on radio and television, and 70 recordings, brought him many accolades, including  ‘America’s beloved gospel singer’, and ‘the first international singing star of the gospel world’.  Shea was the fourth of eight children born of the union of Adam J. (1872-1946) and Maude M. T. (née Whitney, 1881-1971), and brought up in the Wesleyan Methodist Church (now Wesleyan Church) that his father served as minister and music director in Winchester and...