Just As He Was

The heavenly choirs add a fine new baritone with the passing of longtime Billy Graham Evangelistic Association singer George Beverly Shea. They had to wait some time to bring him on board, though, as Shea was 104 at the time of his death.

My grandparents enjoyed his singing; my grandfather's favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art," was one of his standards. Shea reduced his workload as he aged; by the time of Graham's last series of crusades in the early 2000s he would usually sing just one song -- often "How Great," or perhaps the Graham standard "Just As I Am" or his own arrangement of the Rhea Miller poem "I'd Rather Have Jesus."

I've even heard the latter adapted as a praise and worship song a few times; Shea's influence may continue past even his considerable years.