About George Beverly Shea
George Beverly Shea (February 1, 1909 – April 16, 2013) was a Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea was often described as "America's beloved gospel singer" and was considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world," as a consequence of his solos at Billy Graham Crusades and his exposure on radio, records and television. Because of the large attendance at Graham's Crusades, it is estimated that Shea sang live before more people than anyone else in history. == Personal life == === Early life and family === George Beverly Shea was born in Winchester, Ontario, Canada, on February 1, 1909, the fourth of eight children of the Rev. Adam Joseph Shea (1872–1946), a Wesleyan Methodist Church—now Wesleyan Church—minister, and his wife, Maude Mary Theodora (Whitney) Shea (1881–1971). His uncle, Isaac Shea (1865–1946) of Winchester had fought in the Second Boer War with the Royal Canadian Dragoons. === Religious background === The Shea family served at the Wesleyan Methodist church in Winchester, Ontario, Canada; Houghton, New York (1917–1921); the Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from 1921; at the Willett Memorial Wesleyan Methodist Church at Midler Avenue, Syracuse, New York; and the Jersey City, New Jersey Wesleyan Methodist church during his youth. Shea himself said that he became a Christian at the age of five or six, but made a rededication to Christ when he was 18, at the Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist Church in Ottawa: [T]here were times when I needed to rededicate my life to the Lord Jesus. When I was 18, my dad was pastoring a church in Ottawa, and I was feeling not too spiritual. The church was having a "special effort," as they called it, for a week.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.