George Gagliardi

George Anthony Gagliardi

June 1, 1947 – November 14, 2024

Prolific poet, composer, musical director, teacher, Christian and friend, George Gagliardi was born in Paris, Texas, June 1, 1947. He attended Wayland Baptist University and North Texas State University (now UNT) where he majored in music, but taught himself guitar, piano, banjo and tenor sax.

George worked as a studio musician in Nashville and Los Angeles in the late 1980s. He wrote and collaborated on many musical theater productions at the Pocket Sandwich Theatre and the Undermain Theatre of Dallas, where he won a Leon Rabin award for “The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite.” Also, the Creative Arts Theatre and School of Arlington, C.A.T.S., commissioned him to co-write a children’s musical with playwright Natalie Gaupp for The Plano Children’s Theatre followed by more productions with her there.

For several summers at Winnsboro Center for the Arts, he taught children to write their own songs to create their own musical.

George spent 12 years with the Spotlight Players program for adults with disabilities at Highland Park United Methodist Church where he wrote and directed them in their own show. An award-winning documentary film, “Into the Spotlight,” was made about this endeavor.

Gospel singer Cynthia Clawson recorded many of George’s songs, including “Words and Music” for a Dove award in 1980 and “My Finest Hour,” the title cut for her Grammy-nominated album. In 2018 he won an Artist Music Guild Heritage Award for Song of the Year, “The Man I Love Is Gone.”

George recently performed in numerous bands including Matt Tolentino’s Singapore Slingers, the Mark McKenzie Jazz Quartet, Dave Washburn’s Three Quarters Fast Jazz Band, The Dallas Banjo Band, the AChord Trio and the Wilshire Baptist Church Wind Symphony.

A longtime membership at Wilshire Baptist afforded George many opportunities to share his talent and faith, including performing original pieces in worship, writing musicals for children, acting in the church’s Faith in 3D productions and presenting solo concerts. His faith in Jesus Christ sustained and inspired him throughout his life as a full-time musician.

George’s 90+ visitors and countless messages from across the country that were received over the past month of illness are a testament to his life well lived!

George is survived by two brothers, Elwyn and Kevin.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, January 27, at Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Road in Dallas. A reception and music performance will follow in Community Hall.