Michael E. Gibson - Obituary

The music and entertainment industry has lost one of its finest, in the untimely death of Michael E. Gibson on Friday, April 7, 2006. He died at home in Tulsa, OK of heart failure at the age of 55. Michael was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1950. He was the second of five children born to A.E. and Laura Gibson. His family moved around a lot during his childhood years, but settled in Broken Arrow, where he graduated high school in 1968. Michael first picked up a guitar at age 15, sparking his passion for music, song writing, and performing; launching his life long music, film and entertainment career. In the 1970's Michael was a recording artist for Shelton Records, The Gap Band and The Tulsa Sampler. He created his own band TULSA and was lead singer and song writer. He was the opening act for such recording artists as Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown, Dr. Hook and Steve Miller. In the late 70's and early 80's Michael founded Gibson Sound and Video, creating sound, video and lighting for various country and rock acts, such as: Journey, Roy Orbisson, Oak Ridge Boys, The Judds, George Jones, Tammy Wynette and B.B. King and work for HBO. During the 1980's, Michael worked diligently as executive producer of Tulsa Backstage, a local music show highlighting Tulsa's musical talents. This venture spawned the national music program, Backstage USA, for which he was an executive producer and co-owner. These programs were groundbreaking in their day; especially, with the then recent development of MTV. In the late 1980's, in collaboration with L.A.'s Sandy Friedman, of Rogers and Cowan, Michael was the Event Coordinator for the Koduluk Pro-Am Celebrity Golf Tournament in McKinney, Texas. The tournament united great golfers like Gregg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, and David Frost, with great musicians like The Oakridge Boys, The Gaitlin Brothers, Cheap Trick, Journey, Police, and the Moody Blues. During the 1990's, Michael moved to Nashville, TN where he established MEGA Films, and Michael E. Gibson Agency. With MEGA, he produced a feature film, Campus Hustle, which was picked up by the USA Network and was internationally distributed.
He wrote, directed and produced local and national TV spots, specials, documentaries, and films. These productions include: Merl Hagert Special at the Ryman; George Strait New Year's Eve Live Special; Journey - On the Road with Journey, music documentary; Operation Support - Armed Forces Network, Camp Pendleton, CA; and numerous other projects. He returned to Tulsa often to produce TV ads, commercials and political campaign clips for Tulsa's own. His most recent accomplishment has been the development of projects and releases for the Louisiana Hayride, a radio program which launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, June Carter, Hank Williams Sr., George Jones, and many top 100 acts of the time. Throughout his lifetime, Michael worked as a studio producer and agent for various artist. He facilitated peoples' dreams and lived his own. Perhaps greatest of all Michael's gifts and talents was his ability to bring together and connect, year after year, people from all creative industries and walks of life, to become an extended family of life-long friends, who were fed by his generous and kind heart. His genuine interest in people and the creative spirit was limitless. Michael is preceded in death by his parents A. E. Gibson and Laura Marie Gibson, and sister Claudia Tanington. He is survived by his two daughters, Michelle Lea Akers of Stillwater, Oklahoma; Nichole Christine Gibson of New York City, New York; granddaughter, Daisy Marie Akers; his beloved Janice Krieger of Nashville, Tennessee; two brothers and sister, Rodney Gibson, Mark Gibson and Marian Gibson Rawson, all living in Oklahoma. A Funeral Service will be offered on Thursday, April 13, 2006 at 2:00pm, at The Resurrection Catholic Church, 4804 South Fulton in Tulsa, 663-1907. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, friends may offer a donation to the VHI Save the Music Foundation in memory of Michael E. Gibson. Donations can be made online at http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music, or call I - 888-841-4687. On Friday, June 2, 2006, Michael E. Gibson's birthday, friends and the music and entertairunent community will hold a national memorial and honoring celebration for Michael in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, call Ronnie Honeycutt in Nashville at 615-513-6736 or K.B. Austin in Tulsa at 918-744-6645. Feel free to share your memories of Michael with the family at www.moorefuneral.com by clicking on the Ultimate Tribute Icon. Moore’s Southlawn Chapel 918-663-22233

Michael Gibson: Calvary Cemetery (Tulsa); http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Gibson&GSfn=Michael&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=33419713&