{"id":4201,"date":"2019-10-09T20:02:01","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T01:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/?p=4201"},"modified":"2019-12-15T14:51:09","modified_gmt":"2019-12-15T20:51:09","slug":"george-beverly-shea-crusader-and-gospel-singer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/2019\/10\/09\/george-beverly-shea-crusader-and-gospel-singer\/","title":{"rendered":"George Beverly Shea: Crusader and Gospel Singer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Billy Graham<\/a> was a remarkably powerful Evangelical preacher who fostered a rebirth in Christian enthusiasm post-WWII. This movement was led through effective media appearances and “crusades” in which Graham’s organization would rent out stadiums or other large spaces to host elaborate religious services for crowds in the tens-of-thousands. An important component of these services was the musical prelude to Graham’s sermon. The Chicago Defender1<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>reported on a 1962 Chicago Crusade in which George Beverly Shea, the famed soloist for Graham’s services is honored as a hometown hero.<\/p>\n

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Shea and Graham<\/p><\/div>\n

George Beverly Shea was born in Canada in 1909, and after moving to the U.S. he eventually began a career which captivated radio, TV, and festival audiences. Shea’s popstar-adjacent promotional opportunities and close personal ties with Billy Graham led to consistent performances intertwined with religious power. The Evangelical church has since been known for savvy music marketing, George Beverly Shea likely being an early example.<\/p>\n\n\n