Remembering the piano man...

When I was nine I had a dog named Anthony. It's an unusual name for a dog, but that was my way of paying tribute to a young man who had a special place in my heart. The human Anthony was a 19 year old young man who played piano for a musical group called the Kingsmen with whom we worked regularly in those days. He was the best piano player I would ever have the opportunity of working with, but he was more than just a piano player. He was a good man.

My family and I had a lot of good times with this young man, whose full name was Anthony Burger. We laughed together, played together, made music together, and travelled together during those early years of my life. And we always remained a part of each others' lives even though we didn't see much of each other in the later years.

The last time I saw him was at a Gaither Homecoming concert. Over the past few years, he worked for Bill Gaither as the pianist for the Gaither Vocal Band, and I heard that they were doing a concert nearby where I was preaching. Anthony didn't know I was around, so I decided to surprise him.

Anthony was standing by a stall where his CDs were being sold. I walked up to him and didn't say a word. He looked up at me, smiled and started singing, "I say L, I say L-O, L-O-V, L-O-V-E. Everything livin' needs love, everything livin' needs love." Those were the words of a song I used to sing in the concerts we were in together when I was a kid. Then the next thing I remember him saying was, "Hi Chris. How's your dad?" We had a good chat, and I also enjoyed watching him playing his piano again in the unique way in which only Anthony could play.

It was a real shock to hear recently that Anthony had suddenly passed away. He was playing at a Gaither Homecoming cruise in the carribean. After he played a song, he collapsed on stage. They tried to revive him backstage, but it was not possible. At the age of 44, he had died of an apparent heart attack.

I have a lot of good memories with Anthony, and I cherish the role he played in my childhood. He was a good man and will be missed.