(The following article appears in the March 2006 issue of Singing News.)
Just as many vocalists have an instantly recognizable voice, many instrumentalists are immediately identified by a certain musical “lick” they play. That same stylistic trademark becomes as well known to the listener as does a singer’s way of phrasing a certain word. A huge repertoire of such trademarks results in a legacy. Southern Gospel Music fans first got to know Anthony Burger from his long run with the Kingsmen that began in January of 1979. For the last decade, he’s been a vital ingredient in Bill Gaither’s Homecoming concerts and videos, not to mention performances of his own solo dates. He’s come a long way since the day he entered, at age five, the Cadek Conservatory of Music in Chattanooga, TN. To say that Anthony Burger is a legend might be just a stretch at this point, simply due to his young age. After all, he’ll turn only 45 on June 5th. But, to say that he is an undisputed master of the piano - well, truer words have never been spoken. Anthony and I were able to converse recently and here are the thoughts of that talented pianist.
Singing News (SN): So many of today’s pianists have learned to play “by ear” or by another method, such as the Nashville Number System. You, on the other hand, spent years under the direction of a wide range of piano instructors at Cadek Conservatory. What direction would you recommend to an aspiring pianist?
Anthony Burger (AB): Personally, I think it is very important to have formal training. For example, learning the correct figurations of the classical composers will definitely help you with your speed and technique. Musical theory knowledge helps tremendously with improvisation, as well. If it were not for the years I spent at the Conservatory, I don’t think I would be here today.
SN: Even though classical training is very evident in many of the songs you perform, you’ve embraced many other musical styles in your work. You’ve obviously spent quite a bit of time listening to other pianists. Any favorites in particular?
AB: Many. I enjoy Lari Goss, Roger Talley, Roger Williams, Floyd Cramer, Ray Charles, Stan Whitmire, Tim Parton, Jackie Marshall, Eddie Crook, Peter Nero and my wife LuAnn. I also get a thrill to see the up and coming new artists such as Roy Webb [Signature Sound] take command at the piano.
SN: Between solo performances and the Gaither appearances, you work over 200 dates a year. So, that obviously limits your home time. But, when you’re off the road for a few days, do you find yourself gravitating to the piano, or do you stay away from it?
AB: If I’m home more than three or four days, I get kind of antsy to play the piano. It usually takes me a couple of days to recoup from the weekend. The other day, I added up the number of songs we usually play each weekend and I discovered that, on average, we play about 122 songs per weekend. That’s a long time to sit on a piano bench. Sometimes when we are at home, my wife will ask me to play something special just for her, which is always a pleasure. That helps me unwind, as does listening to talk radio.
SN: For those people who’ve never witnessed an Anthony Burger concert, what can they expect?
AB: Well, it’s not just me playing the piano as though I was at a recital. Instead, I add in strong musical tracks and even some multimedia presentation segments that go along with select songs. After 1800 solo concerts in the past 14 years, I’ve come to realize that people do enjoy one instrumental after another. I always try to play songs that speak for themselves, such as “How Big Is God” and “Because He Lives, because these are songs that relay a message and 99.9% of the people will know the words.
SN: Many people think that Southern Gospel Music has to change to encourage younger people to attend events. In your opinion, and based on the older age factor of some in attendance at today’s concerts, what can be done without upsetting the integrity of the music form to draw in younger folks?
AB: I believe that today’s music has such a variety and we are competing with the world for top quality produced sounds. I think that people want good, classy music. So, as long as the music is presented in that way, it will always be around and will stay popular. One of the ways I try to help balance that at my solo concerts is by doing a variety of styles, as well as having our daughter Lori sing each night. Our goal with her music is to provide a musical bridge between the young and the young at heart. I strongly believe that in my concerts I can play my music in the biggest upscale churches or in the theatre/ arena venues. I don’t pigeonhole my style to just one denomination because there are several denominations sitting out there in the seats and some of the folks are not even regular churchgoers. They are just in attendance to support and accompany their spouses and we need to reach them, also.
SN: Considering all that you’ve done in your career, you’ve probably played every brand of piano that’s on the market. Is there a certain piano that you’d love to have at every performance?
AB: I prefer a Steinway Grand piano. We carry one for the Gaither Homecoming tour. It has its own flight case and it is tuned everyday. Steinway Pianos are great pianos — each one is hand made. And because of that, the sound and action are impeccable. Speaking of that, I have just become the very first Southern Gospel Steinway artist. I am very proud to represent such a great company and to get to share that fine instrument by playing the best music in the world. I’m honored to have received that endorsement.
To learn more about Anthony, visit www.anthonyburger.com.