George Beverly Shea

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BioGraphy

BORN
George Beverly Shea; February 1, 1909; Winchester, Ontario, Canada

DIED
April 16, 2013; Asheville, North Carolina

PARENTS
The Reverend A. J. Shea and Maude Whitney Shea (both deceased)

MARRIED
Karlene Aceto
Erma Scharfe (deceased)

EDUCATION
Annesley College, Ottawa, Ontario
1928-29: Houghton College, Houghton, New York

VOCATION
1929-38: Radio Broadcasting (singing on WMCA & WHN) as an avocation while working as a clerk in the headquarters office of Mutual of New York insurance company
1938-44: Announcer and staff soloist, WMBI, Chicago
1944-52: Soloist on ABC's "Club Time"
1947-2013: Soloist, Billy Graham Team
1950-2013: Soloist on the "Hour of Decision"
1951-2013: Recording artist with RCA (1951-1977) and Word Records (1974-2013) – more than 70 Albums of hymns, including nine CDs

AWARDS AND HONORS
1956: Doctor of Fine Arts, Houghton College, Houghton, New York
1965: Grammy Award, sacred category, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, for album "Southland Favorites" with Anita Kerr Singers; Ten nominations
1972: Doctor of Sacred Music, Trinity College, Deerfield, Illinois
1978: Elected to Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, Nashville
1996: Elected to Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame (NRB)
1998: North Carolina Public Television produced his life story, "The Wonder of it All"
1999: Inspirational Leadership Award, Salvation Army, Los Angeles, California
2004: Lifetime Achievement Award, Canadian Gospel Music Association
2008: Inducted into the “Hall of Faith,” The Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists
2009: Exceptional Service, Salvation Army, Winchester, Ontario, Canada
2009: Honoree Inductee, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
2009: Great Commission Award, USA Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory
2011: Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, The Recording Academy

PUBLISHED WORKS
1968: "Then Sings My Soul," autobiography, Fleming Revell Company
1972: "Songs That Lift the Heart," about his favorite songs, Fleming Revell Company
1984: "Then Sings My Soul," Film Musical/Documentary, World Wide Pictures
2004: "How Sweet the Sound," Tyndale House Publishers

HOBBIES
Boating

CHILDREN
Ronald and Elaine

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