George Beverly Shea

About George Beverly Shea

George Beverly "Bev" Shea (born February 1, 1909) is a prominent singer/songwriter of gospel music, the author of several hymns and hymn tunes.

Born in Winchester, Ontario, Canada, Shea was one of eight children of a Wesleyan Church minister and his wife. He began singing in the church choir in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His family later moved to Upstate New York and from there, he went on to work in commercial radio. Living in Chicago, he wrote and sang religious music that led to his performing on religious radio broadcasts and to a calling in gospel music that spanned more than sixty years with Billy Graham and his ministry, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His association with Graham began in 1943, while Graham was pastor of the Village Church in Western Springs, Illinois with the inauguration of Graham's "Songs in the Night" radio progam.

Shea has utilized all available media to share the "Good News" of Jesus Christ. From 1952, he was heard regularly on network radio, and in more recent years his bass-baritone voice has been transmitted on weekly shortwave programs around the world.