No one sings the hymn "How Great Thou Art" like George Beverly Shea. His deep, bass-baritone voice resonates with the soul and has ministered to countless listeners over the years. Shea--affectionately called "Bev" by those close to him--turned 100 this month. 100! Can you believe it?
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Shea and his lovely wife, Karlene, at a work Christmas party in Charlotte back in 2002. What a treat to hear him sing some Christmas carols! If I remember correctly, his wife is originally from Jonesborough (Tennessee) or somewhere close to there--which is not far from where I grew up. They both were so sweet and very gracious to pose for a photo with me and some friends.
Decision magazine ran a wonderful feature on Mr. Shea in its February issue--be sure to check it out. And here is another piece--an interview with Mr. Shea--that ran in Decision a few years back. God has blessed this man with an extraordinary voice, a remarkable ministry, and a very long life! To God be the glory!
To close, here is an excerpt from one of Mr. Shea's songs, "I'd Rather Have Jesus":
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I'd rather be true to His holy name ...
Music by George Beverly Shea. Words by Rhea F. Miller.
great post honey. btw, was this around thanksgiving? just wondered about your pilgrim outfit. ha! come on, couldn't resist.
ReplyDeleteDid you know you can still with him a happy 100th at www.GeorgeBevShea.com? You can also pre-order his new biography which is coming out in a month or so. Thought you might like to know!
ReplyDeleteAlison