Anthony Burger was a man of few words, yet his piano playing could speak volumes. It’s been 19 years since the 44-year-old Cleveland musician tragically passed away from a massive heart attack while on a Caribbean cruise with Bill Gaither and his Homecoming Friends.
The news of his death came late on February 22, 2006, when Millie Freeman, the sister of the late Vestal Goodman, called to inform me. She explained that Anthony had been playing a song when his hands suddenly froze. He was rushed offstage, but despite a doctor’s best efforts, he could not be saved.
Burger’s musical talent was often described as a gift from God. At just eight months old, while learning to walk at home, he got stuck in a floor furnace, and his walker tipped over. Doctors warned that he would never move his severely burned hands, which required three medicated baths a day. However, when I had the chance to speak with him on a dinner cruise aboard the Southern Belle, he humbly explained, “I still can’t move them, HE (God) does. The Lord healed my hands because He had a job for me to do.” Later that evening, Burger played a couple of songs for the Riverboat audience, demonstrating the very miracle he spoke of.
At the age of three, after returning home from church, Anthony surprised his family by playing “The Old Rugged Cross” on the piano. His musical journey continued when, at five years old, his parents enrolled him at Cadek Conservatory of Music in Chattanooga. A year later, he performed his first recital, earning the distinction of being the youngest student ever to attend the Conservatory at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
By 16, Burger had already left high school to join the Kingsmen Quartet, one of the top Southern Gospel groups of the time. While performing with the quartet, he continued his studies and earned his high school diploma.
Former Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, who had known the Burger family for years as they ran a music store in downtown Cleveland, shared his memories of Anthony. “I was shocked to hear that Anthony had passed away. He could speak through his piano, a true self-taught talent. He meant so much to so many people.” Rowland fondly recalled how, even as a young child, Anthony had been involved with local radio, including appearing on the “Tom’s Clock Show” on WCLE radio. “I put Anthony on the radio at three years old for a March of Dimes benefit, and he continued to return year after year,” said Rowland.
Mayor Rowland had the honor of attending the recording session for Burger’s “Masterpiece Project” in Cleveland, where he presented Anthony with a trophy recognizing his 25 years as a professional musician. “Before he joined the Gaither Homecoming Friends in 1994, Anthony came by to tell me how excited he was to play for Mr. Gaither,” Rowland recalled. “He sent me one of his first videos, and we declared Anthony Burger Day in 1996 after he played a concert at Life Care of Cleveland.”
Rowland also noted that Burger was responsible for bringing several Gospel groups to Cleveland, including the Speer Family and J.D. Sumner and the Stamps. “Anthony never forgot his hometown of Cleveland,” Rowland said, “and I will miss one of my best friends.”
A series of life celebrations were held at Christ Church in Brentwood and Clingan Ridge Baptist Church in Cleveland. Anthony was laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Cleveland.
In his career, Burger spent 11 years as the Gaither Homecoming pianist, but he also performed solo and played at several Billy Graham crusades. His musical talents reached the highest levels, performing for Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000.
From his first performance of “The Old Rugged Cross” to his final solo of “We Shall Behold Him,” Anthony Burger’s life was a testament to his ability to bring people to Christ through his music. Bill Gaither remarked, “Anthony’s life through his music was a testimony of bringing people to Christ so they could join him one day in heaven.”
Related Topics
- Sergey Belyavsky to Perform Piano Recital in Cyprus on March 7
- Piano Trio Okonski Returns with Soothing, Reflective ‘Entrance Music’ Featuring Durand Jones & The Indications Members
- One Night, Two Pianos to Feature Michael W. Smith and Chandler Moore on March 9
