Bob Shaw

Robert Jennings Shaw (August 21, 1929 – February 27, 2024) was an American gospel music singer and political leader. He was a two time inductee into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.

As a political leader for more than thirty years, Shaw served multiple terms as Vice Chairman of the Republican National Committee, as Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, and as Chairman of the Fulton County Republican Party. Under his leadership, Shaw recruited multiple future elected officials from the state of Georgia, United States to run for office including Paul Coverdell and Newt Gingrich.

Early life Bob Shaw was born to Robert Edwards Shaw and Vesta (Jennings) Shaw in Bronwood, Georgia in Terrell County, Georgia.

In 1952, after returning from the Korean War, Shaw became the lead singer of the newly formed The Revelaires Quartet, formed in Atlanta, along with Dan Huskey, Tommy Rainer, "Big" Jim Waits, and Jerry Briggs. In 1953, while performing a show on the same bill as The Jordanaires, who became famous as the backup band for Elvis Presley, The Jordanaires asked Shaw to become a permanent member of the band, but he declined. In 1955, after The Revelaires appeared on the television show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends, Shaw departed the band to spend more time with his family. In 1996, Shaw joined The Sunshine Boys, a long-running Georgia based gospel group that had originally formed in 1938.

In 2002, Shaw was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame for his work with The Harmoneers Quartet, and again in 2005 for his work with The Sunshine Boys. In 2006, he was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.

Political career In 1961, Shaw met future state legislator Rodney Mims Cook Sr. Cook and future federal court judge Richard Cameron Freeman who were attempting to build an organized state Republican Party. Shaw credited Cook with taking him to the Fulton County Republican Party headquarters and demanding that they, "Put him to work." Shaw stated the loss in the campaign taught him that the Republican Party needed to do a better job of connecting with voters and getting them out to vote. That same year, Shaw was elected as the First Vice Chairman of the Fulton County Republican Party, and in 1968, he was elected to his first term as Chairman of the Fulton County Republican Party. Shaw would eventually serve six terms as county party chairman between 1968 and 1998.

In 1971, Shaw began his first term as Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party following the resignation of the previous chairman, Wiley Wasden. During the 1972 United States presidential election in Georgia, more than 75% of the state of Georgia voted for Richard Nixon as President of the United States. Future Democratic Governor of Georgia Zell Miller credited Shaw's connection with the common voter to the growing success of the Republican Party by stating, "Bob speaks the language of the service station operator."

In 1972, Shaw was selected as Vice Chairman to the Republican National Committee, serving alongside future President of the United States, and then Chair of the Republican Party, George H. W. Bush. This role gave Shaw tremendous influence within the national party. He was described as, "The President's Man in the Southeast insofar as Party matters are concerned." In 1970, he recruited Coverdell, also in the insurance industry, to run for the Georgia State Senate where he won a seat representing northern Fulton County. In 1974, Gingrich, a history professor from West Georgia College, ran for the Georgia's 6th congressional district. He served in that role until his retirement in 2019.

During his time at Chairman of the Development Authority of Fulton County, Shaw was selected to serve as the Chairman of the Joint Development Authority of Metropolitan Atlanta.

From 1974, Shaw and his family lived in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, Georgia. He enjoyed reading during his free time, and frequently devoted time to Bible study. His favorite book in his youth was Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, which he credited with having a transformational influence on him during his years as a young businessman.

Shaw died on February 27, 2024, at the age of 94.