Billy Graham musical tribute gets wide release
When Princess Diana died in 1997, Elton John’s musical tribute, “Candle in the Wind,” captured the world’s attention.
Its success made Pat Boone consider a hero of his own.
“If there’s anyone in my lifetime who deserves honor, it is Billy Graham,” the 71-year-old singer says. “I think he is the most significant figure since the apostles. I didn’t know Peter and I didn’t know Paul, but I know Billy Graham.”
Thus began a process that would culminate eight years later in a tribute of his own featuring more than a dozen of the recording industry’s biggest names.
“Thank You, Billy Graham” didn’t receive much attention when it was released on Boone’s latest album, “Glory Train: The Lost Sessions,” last summer. But the creative forces behind the song believe it could grow larger still.
Boone first penned a twangy tribute titled “We Call Him Billy” that caused some listeners to cringe.
“I liked the idea, but I thought the song itself was dreadful,” said David Pack, a veteran gospel producer who agreed to review Boone’s demo. “He was at least kind enough to say, ‘Why don’t you try something yourself, then?’ “
Pack accepted the challenge and, with the help of country songwriter Billy Dean, reworked the bluegrass melody into a contemporary “We are the World”-type single.
Artists from the rock, pop, country, R&B and gospel traditions joined the ensemble project to pay tribute to Graham, now 87 and ailing from Parkinson’s disease, who has evangelized the world for half a century.
After bumping into U2’s Bono at a Grammy party, Boone persuaded the rock star to record an introduction. Musicians ranging from country star LeAnn Rimes to gospel singer Andrae Crouch recorded separate segments in the ensuing months.
Digitally combining their voices in the studio, Pack and Dean assembled a multimedia package based around the lyrics: “He heard the word, he got the call/ He took the message to us all/ He said it so we all could understand/ Around the world, here at home/ He let us know we’re not alone/ Oh, thank you, Billy Graham. …”
Even CNN’s Larry King, an agnostic but longtime friend of the evangelical, added his voice to the mix.
But the process stalled and nearly collapsed in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Contributors backed out, the Web site ThankYouBillyGraham.com was shut down, and plans for a televised concert disintegrated in the chaos.
Growing nervous that the self-financed endeavor might fail completely, Boone tacked the single onto his 2005 “Glory Train” album but says “a very major” retail negotiation is under way for mass distribution of the song.
Equally frustrated, Pack began looking into recording a version with artists more familiar to a younger demographic.
“This has been five years of my life, and I am still not going to give up hope that this will be a live concert,” Pack said. “We must make that happen to introduce Billy to the next generation.”