Bragg, George, 1926-2007

..."I was a student at North Texas and I had been working odd jobs and they had run out. I told the dean of the school of music that I had about run out of money and needed a job to work my way through school," said Bragg.

The dean knew that Bragg had been a member of the Apollo Boys Choir. So he suggested that Bragg start a boys' choir...

Name: George W Bragg
[George W Hairston]
Age: 14
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1926
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: Mississippi
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Grandson
Home in 1940: Levy, Florida
Map of Home in 1940: Levy, Florida
Inferred Residence in 1935: Gulf Hammock, Levy, Florida
Resident on farm in 1935: No
Sheet Number: 2B
Attended School or College: Yes
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members Age Relationship
George C Hairston
66 Head
Anna Lee Hairston
63 Wife
Elizabeth Nanie Bragg
38 Daughter
George W Bragg 14 Grandson
Louie H Bragg
11 Grandson
Oscar Hummel
7 Grandson

BIRTH 27 Sep 1894
Bowman, Elbert County, Georgia, USA
DEATH 4 Oct 1964 (aged 70)
Ocala, Marion County, Florida, USA
BURIAL
Orange Hill Cemetery
Williston, Levy County, Florida, USA
MEMORIAL ID 5048775 · View Source

Name: George Washington Bragg Sr
Gender: Male
Race: White
Death Date: Oct 1964
Death Place: Marion, Florida, United States

Name: George Bragg
Birth Year: abt 1926
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age in 1930: 4
Birthplace: Mississippi
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Home in 1930: Mobile, Mobile, Alabama, USA
Map of Home: Mobile, Mobile, Alabama
Street Address: Lee St.
Ward of City: 8th Part
House Number: 55
Dwelling Number: 37
Family Number: 43
Attended School: No
Father's Birthplace: Georgia
Mother's Birthplace: Mississippi
Household Members Age Relationship
Geo W Bragg
35 Head
Elizabeth Bragg
28 Wife
George Bragg 4 Son
Louis Bragg
1 Son

George Bragg, founder of the Texas Boys Choir and two-time Grammy Award winner, passed away peacefully Thursday, May 31, 2007.
Memorial service: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at 3901 S. Hulen St. (Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts).

...

Mr. Bragg was born Jan. 24, 1926, in Meridian, Miss., to George W. Bragg Sr. and Elizabeth Hairston Bragg. In 1934, the Bragg family moved to Birmingham, Ala., where Mr. Bragg joined the famous Apollo Boys Choir.

On Feb. 7, 1946, Mr. Bragg, a freshman at North Texas State College, founded the Denton Civic Boys Choir. The choir moved to Fort Worth in 1957 and was renamed the Texas Boys Choir. In the same year, the choir appeared on the "Pat Boone Show." In 1959, George Bragg, Stephen Seleny and James Walker founded the Texas Boys Choir School, which three years later became Trinity Valley School.

Under Mr. Bragg's direction, the choir grew in prominence and became a world-class musical organization. In 1961, the choir made its Town Hall debut in New York City. On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, the choir sang at the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth for President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, several hours before his assassination. In the 1960s, the choir appeared on the "Perry Como Show" and "Ed Sullivan Show." After conducting the choir on a recording of his "Persephone," the famous composer Igor Stravinsky called the choir "the greatest boy choir in the world."

Mr. Bragg received his first Grammy Award in 1967 from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for Best Choral Performance on "Charles Ives: Music for Chorus." The following year, he received his second Grammy Award for "The Glory of Gabrieli," which was recorded in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy.

During Mr. Bragg's tenure, the choir gave over 3,000 performances, which included 13 domestic and five European concert tours. They also performed on radio and television as well as with opera companies and symphony orchestras. Under his direction, the choir recorded 26 albums.

After 29 years of instilling within young men the pursuit of excellence, Mr. Bragg left the choir in 1975 to share his expertise with other boy choirs throughout the United States, including the California Boys' Choir, the Pasadena Boys Choir, the Arkansas Boys Choir, the Boys Choir of Harlem, the Paulist Choristers of Los Angeles and Florida's Singing Sons Boychoir in Fort Lauderdale.

In 1994, Mr. Bragg was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He then suffered a debilitating stroke in 1996.

The family wishes to thank the employees of Renaissance Park and Odyssey Hospice and all of Mr. Bragg's doctors, especially Dr. Le, for their kindness and tender loving care.

Survivors: His brother, Louis Bragg and his wife, Shirley, of Arlington; his nephew, David Bragg, his wife, Kim, and their children of Arlington; his niece, Debbie Williams, her husband, Gary, and their children of Arlington; and his niece, Susan O'Keefe of Oklahoma City. He also leaves behind his caregiver, Kenneth Polito of Fort Worth.

The Denton Civic Boy Choir, directed by George Bragg, will give its first public concert today at 3 p. m. in the parish hall of the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. ...

George Washington Bragg (January 24, 1926 – May 31, 2007)[1] was an American conductor and founder of the Texas Boys Choir.[2]

Biography
George Bragg was born on January 24, 1926 in Meridian, Mississippi to George W. Bragg, Sr. and Elizabeth Hairston Bragg. In 1934 he moved to Birmingham, Alabama where he joined the famous Apollo Boys' Choir. On February 7, 1946, Mr. Bragg, a freshman at North Texas State College, founded the Denton Civic Boys Choir. The choir moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1957 and was renamed the Texas Boys Choir. In the same year, the choir appeared on the "Pat Boone Show."

In 1959, George Bragg, Stephen Seleny, and James Walker founded the Texas Boys Choir School which three years later became Trinity Valley School. Under Mr. Bragg's direction, the choir grew in prominence and became a world-class musical organization. In 1961, the choir made its Town Hall debut in New York City. On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, the choir sang at Hotel Texas in Fort Worth for President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, several hours before his assassination. In the 1960s, the choir appeared on the "Perry Como Show" and "The Ed Sullivan Show." After conducting the choir on a recording of his "Persephone," the famous composer Igor Stravinsky called the choir "the greatest boy choir in the world." Mr. Bragg received his first Grammy Award in 1967 from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for Best Choral Performance on "Charles Ives: Music for Chorus." The following year he received his second Grammy Award for "The Glory of Gabrieli," which was recorded in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy.[3] During Mr. Bragg's tenure, the choir gave over 3,000 performances which included 13 domestic and five European concert tours. They also performed on radio and television as well as with opera companies and symphony orchestras. Under his direction, the choir recorded 26 albums. Mr. Bragg left the choir in 1975 to share his expertise with other boy choirs throughout the United States.

In 1994, Mr. Bragg was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He suffered a debilitating stroke in 1996, and died a decade later, on May 31, 2007.[4]

Memberships & affiliations
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Alpha Alpha, 1969 (National Honorary Chapter)
Gamma Theta, 1946 (University of North Texas College of Music Chapter)
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Lifetime Member)

Name: George W Bragg
Age in 1910: 15
Birth Year: abt 1895
Birthplace: Georgia
Home in 1910: Browning, Dekalb, Georgia
Street: Tucker And Montreal Road
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son
Marital Status: Single
Father's Name: George W Bragg
Father's Birthplace: Georgia
Mother's Name: Serrepta J Bragg
Mother's Birthplace: Georgia
Native Tongue: English
Occupation: Farm Laborer
Industry: Home Farm
Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner
Attended School: Yes
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members Age Relationship
George W Bragg
53 Head
Serrepta J Bragg
42 Wife
Emma N Bragg
17 Daughter
George W Bragg 15 Son
James T Bragg
13 Son
Benjamin C Bragg
11 Son
Carry B Bragg
8 Daughter
Aron K Bragg
6 Son

The Texas Boys Choir board of directors accepted the resignation of its director, George Bragg, at a meeting Tuesday at the choir's headquarters.

Timothy McKinney, chairman of the board, said after the meeting that "approximately one year ago, George Bragg made a statement to the Parents Club and the board that it was his intention to resign in the near future. At the time I understood this to mean a year or two." ...

"Those close to Mr. Bragg know that his health has deteriorated in the last two years. It was his hope to lead the choir on its tour last fall and this spring, but evidently he felt that his health had deteriorated to the point that it was wise to resign now."...

Name: George Washington Bragg Jr
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 18
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Date: 24 Jan 1926
Birth Place: Meridian, Mississippi, USA
Residence Place: Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Registration Date: 1944
Registration Place: Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Household Members:
Name Relationship
George Washington Bragg Self (Head)
G W Bragg Self (Head)

On Feb. 7, 1946, the Denton Civic Boys Choir, founded by George Bragg, came into existence. Thirty-seven boys selected from 250 applicants made up the choir...

In 1949 the first modest tour was taken -- 30 boys went to Idaho for some concerts. In 1950, however, Bragg felt confident enough to take his group East, and a successful Eastern tour was made. The first Fort Worth Youngsters, six boys, joined the choir in 1951, commuting to Denton twice a week for rehearsals. By 1955 a boy choir school was founded in Denton (now known as the Selwyn School) with 21 students. Entrollment the next year, its 10th anniversary, was 35, and the choir officially changed its name to the Texas Boys Choir of Denton. In 1957 Stephen Seleny joined the choir staff, and through the efforts of local citizens, the choir moved to Fort Worth. That was also the year the choir made its first national television appearance, on the Pat Boone show. The next year TBC was invited to perform for the national convention of the American Guild of Organists, and to take its second national TV bow, this time on Dave Garroway's show.

Europe beckoned in 1959, and a six-week tour was undertaken. Also a new school was founded, the Texas Boys Choir School, which eventually became Trinity Valley School with its own board. Kalman Halasz joined the staff the following year, and Luis Berber arrived in 1963. As the new decade got underway, things started happening for the choir. Herbert Barrett Management signed the choir in 1961, and a New York debut in Town Hall that year was a great success. There folowed a New England tour and Decca Recording contract in quick succession ... In 1966 TBC switched to Columbia Masterworks, recording "Charles Ives -- Music for Chorus" with the Gregg Smith Singers under the direction of Gregg Smith. The recording won the 1966 Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for the best choral performance of the year.

A second Grammy was awarded in 1969 for "The Glory of Gabrieli," the first of three albums devoted to the Italian master recorded in the Cathedral of St. Marks in Venice. Again the choir collaborated with the Gregg Smith Singers, this time under the direction of Vittorio Negri, with assistance from organist E. Power Biggs....