Minister Tony D. Gillion is a native of Statesville, North Carolina. He is the son of the Minnie Minor Gillion and the late John David Gillion. Tony became interested in music at a very young age. With encouragement from his grandmother, Everlou Minor, Tony began taking piano lessons at the age of eight from the local piano teacher, Ms. Ruby Gabriel. At the age of eleven, Tony began to take lessons (to play by ear) from his greatest inspiration, the late Mother Patricia Corpening, who was the pianist and organist at The Church of the Living God-Bibleway in Statesville, North Carolina. After just a few lessons, Tony began playing the piano at Bibleway.

 

Upon graduation from high school, Tony attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and later Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. He studied Music Education, with concentrations in the areas of Choral Conducting and Music Theory. In 1984, under the leadership of Pastor Pressley Torrance, Tony was appointed Minister of Music for the Church of the Living God in Statesville. In 1996, under the leadership of the late Bishop Harvey Daniels, Tony was ordained Minister of Music for the Church of the Living God at large.

 

Over the years, Tony has served many churches in the North Carolina area. He’s currently the Minister of Music at the Church of the Living God Bibeway Headquarters (7th Day Sabbath Keepers) in Statesville, where he has served for more the 40 years. He’s also the Minister of Music for United Institutional Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC where he’s served the past 13 years. Tony is the Music Director for the North Carolina Black Repertory Company where his stage credits include serving as Music Director for Black Nativity, Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On the Sparrow, Mahalia; Queen of Gospel, and Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope. In 2008, Tony served as guest Organist for the Pop Series, Symphony of Praise featuring the Winston-Salem State University Choir and the Winston-Salem Symphony. Tony is a former Iredell/Statesville, School System Educator, a song-writer, music transcriber, vocal coach, piano teacher, choral workshop facilitator, Catering Director, Travel Agent, Notary Public and a member of the Music Guild for the Hampton Minister’s Conference.