Tom Hammett will host an interview with Cliff Barrows, who Billy Graham has called “The greatest song leader in the history of the Christian Church.” The radio special will be aired on AM 980, WDYN on Friday at 1 p.m., Sunday at 6 a.m., and on Labor Day, Monday at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. The program can also be heard at those times on the Internet at www.wdyn.com.
“The Christian faith is a singing faith, and a good way to express it and share it with others is in community singing," said Mr. Barrows, music and program director for the Billy Graham Team, who has led congregational singing and crusade choirs around the world. Music has played a significant role in the programming of the Billy Graham crusades and rallies, for which he has been responsible since their beginning in 1945. Together, he and Mr. Graham have shared the Gospel around the globe.
Mr. Barrows has also hosted the weekly "Hour of Decision" radio program since its inception in 1950.
For significant contributions to Gospel music, Mr. Barrows was inducted into the Nashville Gospel Music Hall of Fame in April 1988, and into the Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame in February 1996. Along with Billy Graham and George Beverly Shea, Mr. Barrows was inducted into The Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists' "Hall of Faith" in 2008.
Mr. Barrows was born and reared in Ceres, Ca. He and his wife, Ann, make their home in Marvin, N.C.
Mr. Hammett related that it was co-worker Earl Freudenburg who desired to create a special radio program featuring the music from a new 3-CD collection of 60 years of the Billy Graham International Crusade Choirs. When song leader Mr. Barrows agreed to a phone interview, the program took on vastly more important dimensions. Mr. Barrows tells of his involvement with choirs during the six decades with the Billy Graham team which included soloist George Beverly Shea. He discusses Mr. Graham and Mr. Shea in their years on the road, and their current situations.