George Beverly Shea | |
---|---|
Born | Winchester, Ontario, Canada | February 1, 1909
Died | April 16, 2013 Montreat, North Carolina, U.S. | (aged 104)
Resting place | Billy Graham Library |
Nationality | Canadian, American[1] |
Years active | 1929–2013 |
Spouses | Erma L. Scharfe
(m. 1934; died 1976)Karlene Aceto (m. 1985–2013) |
Children | 2 |
George Beverly Shea (February 1, 1909 – April 16, 2013) was a Canadian-born American[1] gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea was often described as "America's beloved gospel singer"[2] and was 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. Because of the large attendance at Graham's Crusades, it is estimated that Shea sang live before more people than anyone else in history.[3][4]