Prominent gospel singer and longtime Billy Graham associate George Beverly Shea received a lifetime achievement award at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
At 102, Shea is one of the oldest living persons to be honored by the recording academy.
Shea was working at a Christian radio station in Chicago when his baritone voice caught Graham’s attention.
“Mr. Graham phoned me and then wrote me and asked me in 1947 to become a part of his team,” Shea recalled.
Shea sang at almost every Graham crusade for 60 years.
According to Guinness World Records, he has sung before more people than anyone else — an estimated combined live audience of 220 million people.
Shea said his favorite part of a crusade was watching the waves of people stream forward after Graham gave the altar call.
During his 80-year career, Shea recorded more than 70 albums and wrote several popular worship songs. He was nominated 10 times for a Grammy and won in 1965.
“Someone said, ‘Why have you been doing this all these years?’ I put my thumb up to the air toward heaven, and I said I’ve been doing it for Him,” Shea said.
Shea said his faith keeps him going at 102.
“I don’t know when heaven will loom up for me, but we have to look forward to it,” he said. “I hope there will be an organ up there to play. Oh, boy, I love organ music.” (RNS)
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