INDUCTED: October 7, 2014
AWARD PRESENTED: November 9, 2014
George was born on February 22, 1930
George passed away on April 11, 2005
OHIO BACKGROUND
George lived in Stow, Ohio
LIFE & HISTORICAL EVENTS
George Wilson Younce was born in Patterson, North Carolina, being the youngest of four siblings.
In 1936, the Younce family moved to Lenoir, North Carolina.
At the age of 15 in his hometown, George received his first taste of Southern Gospel music. His father was his biggest influence when young George decided he wanted to be a singer.
In 1950 he joined the military as a paratrooper, making over 30 jumps before leaving the Army.
He married Clara xxx on April 27, 1955.
With the passing of his long-time friend and Cathedrals partner Glen Payne in October 1999, and George’s failing kidneys he had to stop officially touring. However, he did make occasional “special appearances” with son-in-law Ernie’s new quartet, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, and with his friend Bill Gaither and the Homecoming Tour.
GOSPEL MUSIC MINISTRY
George attended a Stamps-Baxter School of Music and at age 16 he began singing lead with the Spiritualaires until 1950.
When his voice changed, he switched to the bass part that he would sing for the rest of his life.
Over the next decade he traveled with such groups as the Homeland Harmony Quartet, The Weatherfords, the Florida Boys, and the Blue Ridge Quartet.
In September 1963, the “Cathedral Trio”, became the official vocal group of Rex Humbard’s “Cathedral of Tomorrow” in Akron, Ohio.
In 1964, George joined forces with lead singer Glen Payne, Tenor Bobby Clark and Baritone/Piano Player Danny Koker to form the “Cathedral Quartet” out of the “Cathedral Trio”. They toured the world for 36 years. Cathedrals retired in December 1999
George performed on the Gaither Homecoming Tour, at Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City
George was part of the Billy Graham Crusades in Cleveland, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee.
His television appearances include the “Rex Humbard Hour”, the “Gospel Singing Jubilee”, the “Bill Gaither Homecoming Hour”, NBC’s Today Show, The Nashville Network, “Prime Time Country”, and “The Statler Brothers Show”.
In the fall of 2000 George appeared for the first time without the Cathedrals as a solo performer in Parkersburg, West Virginia on a show called “An Evening with George Younce and Ernie Haase”.
George sang with The Old Friends Quartet, which included his son-in-law, former Cathedral tenor Ernie Haase and Southern Gospel legend Jake Hess and baritone Wesley Pritchard and pianist Garry Jones.
Late in his career, George provided the voice for some of the characters in several of the Bill Gaither produced “Gaither’s Pond” children’s videos.
SONGS / AWARDS / RECOGNITION
Younce was a 14-time recipient of the Singing News Fan Award for “Favorite Southern Gospel Bass” singer.
He was Gospel Music’s “Living Legend” of the year in 1988, was inducted into the “Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame” located in Dollywood in 1998.
Inducted in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
He was awarded the 2004 SGN Scoops Diamond “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
He recorded well over 100 projects including the award-winning “Symphony of Praise” with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
George also wrote a number of Southern Gospel songs including the classic “Yesterday”.
In 1998, George recorded the first of three solo projects. Two were GMA nominees for Dove Awards in the Southern Gospel Album of the Year category. The third presents a collection of some of Younce’s favorite hymns.
George’s accomplishments on a national level and his rich bass voice will forever endear him as one of gospel music’s most prominent and premier bass voices.
WORDS OF WISDOM
At his funeral Gloria Gaither said, “Younce taught us to laugh until you cry, live until you’re free … and not to save face, but save relationships,”