Anthony Burger
Encyclopedia
Anthony John Burger was an American
musician
and singer, most closely associated with Southern Gospel
music
.
to Richard and Jean Burger. At age eight months, he was using a baby walker
and fell into a heating duct on the floor of his house. He suffered third degree burns on his hands, face and, legs . After suffering the burns, Burger’s doctor told his parents he was very likely to not be able to move his hands in the future. Despite the odds, Burger recovered. At the age of five, he was accepted at the Cadek Conservatory in Chattanooga, Tennessee
. A child prodigy, Burger was playing classical piano repertoire within a few years.
while still a teen and remained with them until 1992. During that time, Burger recorded nineteen projects with the group and was voted the Favorite Pianist in the Singing News
Fan Awards for an unprecedented ten years. The award was renamed the "Anthony Burger Award" for several years after that. During this period, Burger presented the award to the winner each year, but was ineligible to receive it.
In 1992, Burger left the Kingsmen Quartet to pursue a career as a solo pianist. He joined the Gaither Homecoming
Tour the following year and was featured on more than 65 Homecoming videos. Burger continued to release piano solo recordings and headline concerts, but his solo schedule was balanced by about 80 Gaither Homecoming dates per year. Adding more variety to his schedule, Burger formed an impromptu sideline group with Ivan Parker
and Kirk Talley
around 1998 called “The Trio.” The group performed at several events each year. (Shane Dunlap
later replaced Parker.) Burger was known throughout his career to tell of how God healed his hands and playing the piano was his way of praising God. During the course of his career, Anthony teamed up with gospel Sax-Man Dan Traxler and the duo was well on their way to establishing yet another pinnacle in his already impressive career. With over 100 tracks to their credit, Dan and Anthony were two musicians who really understood each other.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Burger released a number of piano folios, permitting fellow keyboard players to perform his arrangements.
The Hazelton Brothers piano company honored Mr. Burger just after the turn of the century when they began offering an “Anthony Burger Signature” model. Then in late 2005, Steinway & Sons
announced that Mr. Burger was being added to their exclusive roster of endorsing artists, making him the first Southern Gospel pianist to ever hold that honor.
while performing aboard the MS Zuiderdam
, a cruise ship chartered for a Gaither Gospel Cruise. According to eyewitnesses, Burger was accompanying Bill & Gloria Gaither and Guy Penrod on the song "Hear My Song, Lord" (erroneously reported as "We Shall Behold Him" at first) when fans in the audience noticed Burger had ceased moving, his hands clenched into fists over the keyboard. Several fellow artists carried him backstage, where the cruise ship's emergency response team futilely performed CPR for about 45 minutes.
Burger was survived by his wife LuAnn, two sons, AJ and Austin; a daughter, Lori; his mother and father, Richard and Jean Burger; two brothers, Randy and Clinton Burger.
A young blind pianist, Gordon Mote, from the Nashville area, has succeeded Burger as the Gaither Homecoming pianist.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and singer, most closely associated with Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Early life
Anthony Burger was born in Cleveland, TennesseeCleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
to Richard and Jean Burger. At age eight months, he was using a baby walker
Baby walker
A baby walker is a device that can be used by infants who cannot walk on their own to move from one place to another. Patents have been issued for baby walkers as early as 1851. Modern baby walkers have a base made of hard plastic sitting on top of wheels and a suspended fabric seat with two leg...
and fell into a heating duct on the floor of his house. He suffered third degree burns on his hands, face and, legs . After suffering the burns, Burger’s doctor told his parents he was very likely to not be able to move his hands in the future. Despite the odds, Burger recovered. At the age of five, he was accepted at the Cadek Conservatory in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
. A child prodigy, Burger was playing classical piano repertoire within a few years.
Career
Burger’s first recording, Anthony Burger At The Lowry Organ, was released in 1975 when he was 14 years old. He joined the Kingsmen QuartetThe Kingsmen Quartet
The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Christian music group.-Musical career:The Kingsmen are a Southern Gospel vocal quartet based out of Asheville, North Carolina. Many legends of Southern Gospel have been members of The Kingsmen...
while still a teen and remained with them until 1992. During that time, Burger recorded nineteen projects with the group and was voted the Favorite Pianist in the Singing News
Singing News
The Singing News is an American magazine which focuses on the Southern Gospel music industry....
Fan Awards for an unprecedented ten years. The award was renamed the "Anthony Burger Award" for several years after that. During this period, Burger presented the award to the winner each year, but was ineligible to receive it.
In 1992, Burger left the Kingsmen Quartet to pursue a career as a solo pianist. He joined the Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming is the name applied to a series of videos, music recordings and concerts, which are organized, promoted and usually presented by Christian music songwriter and impresario Bill Gaither...
Tour the following year and was featured on more than 65 Homecoming videos. Burger continued to release piano solo recordings and headline concerts, but his solo schedule was balanced by about 80 Gaither Homecoming dates per year. Adding more variety to his schedule, Burger formed an impromptu sideline group with Ivan Parker
Ivan Parker
-Musical career:Ivan Parker was raised in Sanford, North Carolina, where his father was a pastor in a Pentecostal church. In 1982, Parker joined the Singing Americans, and in 1983 he became lead vocalist of the Dove Award-winning group the Gold City Quartet...
and Kirk Talley
Kirk Talley
Kirk Talley , is an American Southern Gospel performer/songwriter.-Early career:Born in Johnson City, TN, Talley began performing Southern Gospel Music in 1972. He was a member of the groups "The Hoppers", The Cathedrals and the Talleys. He joined the Cathedrals in 1979 and with the lineup of...
around 1998 called “The Trio.” The group performed at several events each year. (Shane Dunlap
Shane Dunlap
Shane Dunlap was the original lead singer for Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, a Southern Gospel quartet. Prior to that, he was a founding member of N'Harmony. After leaving Signature Sound, he started a solo career....
later replaced Parker.) Burger was known throughout his career to tell of how God healed his hands and playing the piano was his way of praising God. During the course of his career, Anthony teamed up with gospel Sax-Man Dan Traxler and the duo was well on their way to establishing yet another pinnacle in his already impressive career. With over 100 tracks to their credit, Dan and Anthony were two musicians who really understood each other.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Burger released a number of piano folios, permitting fellow keyboard players to perform his arrangements.
The Hazelton Brothers piano company honored Mr. Burger just after the turn of the century when they began offering an “Anthony Burger Signature” model. Then in late 2005, Steinway & Sons
Steinway & Sons
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway , is an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos, founded 1853 in Manhattan in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg...
announced that Mr. Burger was being added to their exclusive roster of endorsing artists, making him the first Southern Gospel pianist to ever hold that honor.
Death
On February 22, 2006, at the age of 44, Burger died of a massive heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while performing aboard the MS Zuiderdam
MS Zuiderdam
MS Zuiderdam is a Vista class cruise ship owned and operated by Holland America Line. It is the first of the Vista class ships, so named for the extensive use of glass in their superstructure. It is sister to the Oosterdam, Westerdam, and the Noordam...
, a cruise ship chartered for a Gaither Gospel Cruise. According to eyewitnesses, Burger was accompanying Bill & Gloria Gaither and Guy Penrod on the song "Hear My Song, Lord" (erroneously reported as "We Shall Behold Him" at first) when fans in the audience noticed Burger had ceased moving, his hands clenched into fists over the keyboard. Several fellow artists carried him backstage, where the cruise ship's emergency response team futilely performed CPR for about 45 minutes.
Burger was survived by his wife LuAnn, two sons, AJ and Austin; a daughter, Lori; his mother and father, Richard and Jean Burger; two brothers, Randy and Clinton Burger.
A young blind pianist, Gordon Mote, from the Nashville area, has succeeded Burger as the Gaither Homecoming pianist.