Learn the surprising history shared by some of today’s most popular hymns. How did “How Great Thou Art, ” an obscure Swedish hymn, get covered by Elvis? How did “Just as I Am” save Johnny Cash? How did dc Talk sanctify ’90s pop rock? In short: the Billy Graham crusades. Music animated these evangelistic extravaganzas, all of it carefully orchestrated by the “chord of three”: celebrated preacher Billy Graham, Gospel Music Hall of Fame baritone George Beverly Shea, and choral conductor and emcee Clifford Barrows. And the crusades went on to change the larger face of American music, influencing iconic popular artists in the second half of the twentieth century. The crusade songbook also took root in churches, its use spreading beyond evangelical soil into mainline Protestant and Catholic congregations. In Songs I Love to Sing, Edith L. Blumhofer narrates the “biographies” of some of the most beloved songs in modern hymnody with verve and affection. Move beyond mere nostalgia. Discover the fascinating stories behind the soundtrack of American Christianity.
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