From 1949 through 2000, Reverend Billy Graham has been one of the most prominent spiritual leaders of the twentieth century. The charismatic preacher has held evangelical campaigns in all the major U.S. cities and in more than 185 countries. He is said to “have preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history—over 210 million people.”
Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the power of amplified sound to reach people in small churches, in large outdoor stadiums, and through international television broadcasts. In one of the largest events of its kind, more than 1.1 billion people heard the 78-year-old minister via satellite television on April 14, 1996.
A graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, Reverend Billy Graham rose to national prominence in 1949 when an evangelical campaign in Los Angeles led to the conversion of a well-known disc jockey and a local underworld figure. He went on to host The Hour of Decision, delivering sermons and commenting on current events in a weekly radio program. At its peak in 1970, Reaching millions of people the program was broadcast over 1,200 stations worldwide. In 1951, The Hour of Decision was made into a television show, which ran for three years. In addition to starring on radio and television, Reverend Billy Graham started an international ministry, authored numerous books, and provided personal counsel to every U.S. president since Harry Truman.
In May 1996, he became the 114th recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress.
Beginning in the 1940s, Shure published information on how to use microphones in houses of worship; and in 1968, with the introduction of the Vocal Master Sound System, the Company offered an “all-in-one” audio solution that became widely used in places of worship around the world. In the 1980s and 1990s, with advancements in mixers and wireless systems, houses of worship had many options in providing sound reinforcement for speakers, singers, and instruments.
