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 Quartet 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 through out 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.[1]
Death
On February 22, 2006, at the age of 44, Burger died of a massive heart attack 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 superseded Burger as the Gaither Homecoming pianist.
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Anthony Burger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
Anthony Crossland's song "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" talks about the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the world. The lyrics suggest that the angels descended on earth and played their harps to create a beautiful melody. It is said that the angels sang in unison and announced that peace would prevail on the earth because of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is the most gracious gift of God to mankind. The world falls into an eerie silence as if it is waiting to hear the chorus of the angels.
The lyrics further suggest that the shepherds were the first to hear the angels sing the news of Jesus's birth. They were keeping their sheep in the fields when the angels descended and informed them about the good news. The angel's announcement gave hope to the people who were living in darkness and despair. The song portrays the angels as beings who were sent by God to ignite hope and peace in a world that was filled with chaos and wars. The chorus of the song emphasizes the beauty of the angels' voices as they sing the praises of God.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear
The event that occurred in the calm of the night
That glorious song of old
A beautiful melody from ancient times
From Angels playing near the earth
Angelic beings performing music in close proximity to the planet
To touch their harps of gold
Strumming their golden stringed instruments
Peace on the earth could will two men
Mankind could achieve peace on earth
From Heaven's all-gracious King
From a divine ruler of kindness in heaven
The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was motionless and quiet
To hear the Angels sing
To listen to the Angels' song
And I hear them singing
I too hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
I truly can hear them sing
The first Noel the Angel did say
The first Christmas message the Angel conveyed
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
Received by some impoverished shepherds sleeping in open fields
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
Shepherds were resting in the meadowlands while keeping watch over their flock
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
A winter evening that was particularly dark and chilly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDMUND HAMILTON SEARS, RICHARD STORRS WILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind