George Beverly Shea

Notes:

"Shea's first public singing was in the choir of his father's church. He credited his mother, Maude, for encouraging him to sing as a boy. Shea never planned on a career in music, and in his 20s he headed to New York where he worked at the Mutual of New York insurance offices. It was there he landed his big musical break, singing on "the amateur portion" of comic Fred Allen's weekly NBC radio show. 'It was in (NBC) studio 8H,' he said, the same space used today for NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live. 'Radio was big,' Shea said. 'I did my song, and I got a pretty good low note. I got second prize. First prize went to a yodeler. He was so nervous in the green room, he was smoking two cigarettes at a time.' That led to more singing opportunities. At age 23 he composed the music to one of his best known solos, 'I'd Rather Have Jesus.' Eventually, he found radio with broadcast preachers. He moved on to Chicago, announcing and singing on WMBI-AM, operated by the Moody Bible Institute. After joining with Graham, the men quickly went to work. He accompanied Graham in 1947 and his first crusade at the old armory in Charlotte, N.C. As Graham traveled the country and globe, so did Shea, who became a familiar presence alongside the minister on stage, radio and television. Traveling with Graham was a remarkable life, he said. 'I've been to Japan about three times, Australia four or five times. It was marvelous. I could bring my wife and two children.' " (from USA Today 18 Apr 2013)