George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story, An Authorized Biography

by Paul Davis, Franklin Graham (Foreword)

The white hair. Those horn-rimmed glasses. And that voice—that unmistakable bass-baritone voice. George Beverly Shea has witnessed to more than 220 million people, in over 185 countries around the world, making him one of the most well-known gospel singers of all time. His decades-long partnership with Billy Graham took him to stages in every state and on every continent, but that doesn’t mean Bev Shea should be labeled as a performer or an entertainer. No, he was God’s instrument for bringing the hope of the gospel around the world.

Genres: Biography

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2012

Reviews

[Mel Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of respect for George Beverly Shea and was looking forward to reading this book. In a century of remarkable change in culture and church music, Shea represents a solid link between the hymnody has defined Protestant church culture for hundreds of years, and the contemporary culture. He also demonstrated a character untainted by theological or personal moral compromise. It is remarkable to be reminded that Ira Sankey and Fanny Crosby, two great nineteenth century hymn writers, were alive when Shea was born (p40). However this book was very disappointing.

I did enjoy reading this book, but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER! It really needed a read-through by a critical editor. I don't think I would ever want to read another book by the author.

There are many factual problems:
1. The author asserts, 'It is told that when excavated, King Tutankhamun's tomb alone included several million pounds worth of pure gold' (p30) (The gold in Tut's tomb would be measured in the thousands, not millions, of pounds).
2. John Cabot did not arrive in Canada in 1487 (p 53) but in 1497. The 1487 date would have rendered Columbus rather irrelevant.
3. The author drops the odd assertion without explanation that French colonists in Canada faced 'severe persecution from Jesuit Quarters in 1635' (p53). While Jesuit missions were indeed expanding that year, I have no clue what persecution the author thinks Catholic French settlers faced from them.
4. 'Goin Home. . . was adapted classically by the famed composer Dvorak in his New World Symphony' (194). No, the hymn came from the Dvorak number.

More distracting are the grammatical and style issues, including misplaced modifiers as well as the following:
1. 'Every year in his heyday, his church publishing company issued a new song that was enthusiastically received each year' (p312-313). [Edit out either the opening or closing year.]
2. 'Many loved Bev's singing, purchasing his songs from iTunes and played them on computers' (p341). [Not parallel verb forms.]
3. The word 'evergreen' was already used about 10 times too many in the first 50 pages.
4. The author employs extreme overuse of recreated conversation of decades earlier, as well as platitudinous eulogy material that is appropriate (and also present) for chapter openings, but not for primary book content. To demonstrate both see this full quote on pages 264-5:
"'Kurt, let me say it's been a pleasure to work with you and Word in making this recording. I'm most grateful to you for your beautiful arrangements and for your newest song, "My song for You' that you completed just in time for the first down beat. . . .Kurt beamed a satisfied smile and retorted in kind. 'Bev, I've enjoyed immensely working with you on this beautiful album. You've contributed greatly to the musical enjoyment of millions of people around the world. . . . "
This kind of content makes up way too large a portion of the book.
5. There are general attributions of some quotes and information to people, but there are no print sources identified in the book, and there is no works cited or bibliography at all. There is a discography of Shea's music as well as some other projects.

I now wonder what the biography by Fred Bauer is like, but of course Bauer's biography was written 45 years before Shea's death. I certainly feel that George Beverly Shea deserves a much better effort than this for a comprehensive biography. Someone write it please!

My favorite quote was from George Beverly Shea's father Adam J Shea:
"Only optimists make history. No monument was ever built to a pessimist. Pessimism is an investment in nothing, but optimism is an investment in hope" (p72).

[Nate Beam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really more about Bev Shea’s various musical albums than telling his life story. The writing was uneven, and did not flow well at all.
I did enjoy some of the anecdotes, but overall, it wasn’t what I hoped for. I often found myself thinking that this book could have been so much better.