Before the bombing in Boston and the explosion in Texas one of the top stories of the week, covered by most major media, was the death of singer George Beverly Shea. He died Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at the age of 104.
I had interviewed Shea once, by telephone, almost ten years ago, and was surprised to hear him say Madison was “one of my favorite cities.”
As I wrote in a story in 2010, I was trying to track down a connection between the singer and a Madison woman who had just died. Her obituary mentioned that she had taught Morse Code to soldiers at Truax Field during World War II, and once worked for Shea “writing copy.”
One Great Memory
Shea had no recollection of the woman. But he did know Madison. Or at least he had one good Madison memory. He told me he loved the local museum that had a huge collection of musical instruments.
“What was the name of that place?” he mused. “It was about ten miles outside of Madison. Oh yes, The House on the Rock. I would like to go there again, we spent three hours going through it.”
Well the House on the Rock is a little further out of town than ten minutes but hearing Shea’s deep baritone voice at the other end of the phone line, and hearing him say that he wanted to say something nice about this woman even though he didn’t remember her, confirmed for me all that the obituaries have said this week about this kind and gentle man.
Memorable Singer
He recorded many songs but he was known primarily for two songs, “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” for which he wrote the music, and “How Great Thou Art,” both of which he probably sang at almost every Billy Graham Crusade.
I liked the way that the New York Times described the relationship between the two men:
“I’ve been listening to Bev Shea sing for more than 50 years,” Mr. Graham told The Charlotte Observer in 1997, “and I would still rather hear him sing than anyone else I know.”
When interviewers asked why Mr. Graham did not simply lead his flock in song himself, as many preachers do, Mr. Shea suggested that the status quo was better for all concerned: Mr. Graham, as Mr. Shea put it with true Christian charity, suffered from “the malady of no melody.”
Mr. Shea’s vocal style, by contrast, was characterized by a resonant bass-baritone, impeccable diction, sensitive musical phrasing and an unshowmanlike delivery that nonetheless conveyed his ardent religious conviction.
Perhaps the secret to living to 104 is to sing as George Beverly Shea sang, not necessarily in a baritone voice, but conveying ardent religious conviction.
George Beverly Shea’s most lasting achievement – Christianity Today
George Beverly Shea’s Heavenly Choir by A. Larry Ross – Washington Post
George Beverly Shea remembered at a public memorial service – Dan Wooding, ASSIST News