Anthony Burger

News Obituary Article

BRENTWOOD, TENN.: Anthony Burger, 44, gospel music pianist

Gospel music pianist Anthony Burger, 44, of Brentwood, Tenn., who played for the popular Gaither Homecoming shows and earned Dove Award nominations for his albums of instrumental music, collapsed and died during a performance Wednesday.

He died of a suspected heart attack while performing on a Gaither Homecoming cruise out of Miami, said family friend Tom Rowland of Cleveland, Tenn.

There are funerals at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Christ Church in Nashville and at 2 p.m. Friday at Clingan Ridge Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tenn. Gallant Funeral Home of Fayetteville, Tenn., is in charge of arrangements.

His records included renditions of "Old Time Religion" and "Hallelujah Chorus" alongside secular classics like Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune."

Most recently, he'd been a guest artist and pianist for Gaither Homecoming concerts headlined by gospel superstar Bill Gaither.

Two Gaither albums and videos featuring Mr. Burger are in the top 10 on both music video and contemporary Christian album sales charts. "Gaither Homecoming: Live From Toronto" has Mr. Burger's "Shout to the Lord/Rhapsody in Blue Medley," and "Canadian Homecoming" features his "Gettin' Ready to Leave This World."

This year, Mr. Burger's album "A Tribute to Bill and Gloria Gaither" was nominated for the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award in the instrumental album category. Another album, "New Born Feeling," was nominated in the same category in 1997.

As a child, Mr. Burger fell onto a furnace grate and was burned on his hands, legs and face. He said on his Web site that "gradually, the Lord healed my hands because he had a job for me to do."

Staff writer Kay Powell contributed to this article.

© 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution