The Trio: Anthony, Kirk & Ivan

History
The Trio was formed in 1999 by three well-known soloists, tenor Kirk Talley, lead Ivan Parker, and pianist Anthony Burger.

Kirk Talley started in Gospel music singing with the Hoppers. He moved to the Cathedral Quartet in 1979, and quickly became one of Southern Gospel's most popular tenors. He left in 1983 to start a trio, The Talleys, with his brother Roger and sister-in-law Debra. After they came off the road, he started a solo career, which (with the exception of his dates with The Trio) he continued for the remainder of the time he toured the Southern Gospel circuit.

Ivan Parker started singing with the Singing Americans in 1982. The next year, he joined Gold City, where he stayed for over a decade and won numerous individual and group awards. He launched his solo career in 1994.

At eight months old, Anthony Burger sustained burns so bad doctors said he would never be able to move his hands. Yet he started playing piano at three and started formal music lessons at five. He joined the Kingsmen Quartet at age 16; after winning the favorite musician award for ten consecutive years, from 1980-1989, the award was named after him. After leaving the Kingsmen Quartet, he split his time between a solo career and accompanying the Gaither Vocal Band and the Gaither Homecoming choir. Burger's time in The Trio was the first time he took a vocal part in a group; he had strictly been an accompanist previously. He died suddenly on stage, during a piano performance, on February 26, 2006, during a Gaither Caribbean cruise.