Bruce Greer | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | David Bruce Greer |
| Born | (1961-10-02)October 2, 1961 (age 63) |
| Origin | Longview, Texas, US |
| Genres | Worship music,Musical theatre |
| Occupation(s) | musician, songwriter |
| Instrument | piano |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Website | http://www.brucegreer.com |
Bruce Greer (born October 2, 1961 inLongview, Texas) is an American pianist, singer and composer.
Greer recalls arranging hymns for choir and piano by age twelve. By the time he was in high school, his compositions were being performed by his church and school choirs. During his senior year atLongview High School, his school choir used one of his pieces, "We Are Thy People," forUniversity Interscholastic League competition. Another choral composition, "Prayer of Joy," which was also written for his high school choir, went on the following year to become his first published work.[1]
This interest in musical composition lead Greer toBaylor University on full scholarship where he graduated with honors as the outstanding Senior Man in 1984 with aBachelor of Music degree inTheory andComposition.[1]
Upon graduation, Greer went to work as a Creative Director forWord Records, the world's largest producer of Christian music. He spent six years as a songwriter, arranger and producer for Word Music, recording several projects as a piano artist. Word's distribution brought widespread recognition and interest for Greer's piano artistry. In 1990, he left Word to pursue a full-time writing and concert career.[1]
Greer and longtime friend Keith Ferguson wrote a musical stage adaptation of the classic 1946 filmIt's a Wonderful Life. The stage musical premiered at theMajestic Theatre (Dallas, Texas) on December 18, 1998, and was an annual Christmas show at the theatre for five years. It has since been performed at various regional and community theatres across the United States.[2][3]
In 1999, Greer and collaborator David Guthrie received aDove Award for Musical of the Year for their musicalMary, Did You Know?, based on thesong of the same name byMark Lowry andBuddy Greene.[4]
That same year, Greer was named a distinguished alumnus of Longview High School.[5]
Greer teamed up with Ferguson again to write a musical stage adaptation ofCharles Dickens's classic 1843 novellaA Christmas Carol. This musical premiered at The First Baptist Church in Carrollton, Texas, in December 2010.[6]
Greer and Ferguson's newest musical, entitledHidden and based on theBook of Esther, went into development with Dallas Summer Musicals.[7]
Since leaving Word in 1990, Greer has become one of the most popular and highly regarded writers for church music in the country with hundreds of titles and projects published by a wide array of leading publishers. He has done extensive concert and recording work as a solo artist and also with vocalistCynthia Clawson.[7]He has taken his music around the world, playing the piano and singing in Singapore, Malaysia, England, Canada as well as all over the United States.[1]
Greer currently lives inOklahoma City, where he served as co-Minister of Music and Worship with his wife Kim at The First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City.[8] They have four grown sons, two daughters-in-law and two granddaughters.[7]
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