Gerald Edward Colbert

Jerry Colbert, founder of Capital Concerts and executive producer of PBS’ “National Memorial Day Concert” and “A Capitol Fourth”, the award-winning programs broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, passed away Tuesday, January 3, 2017 in Harwich Port, MA. at age 74.

Colbert was born in Worcester on May 23, 1942 to Isabelle Conlon and Robert Emmett Colbert of Boylston. He was a graduate of St. John’s High School in Worcester (’60) where he was on the football, hockey and track and field teams, and Holy Cross College (’64) where he continued his athletics. Following his graduation from Holy Cross, Colbert volunteered with the Jesuit Baghdad mission at Baghdad College in Iraq teaching English and math to Iraqi school children. His experience at Holy Cross and in Baghdad inspired him to become a man for others. He returned to the U.S. a year later, married his wife Eileen Tinsley, and they left to work as lay missionaries for Catholic Extension Volunteers doing social work with gang members on the South side of Chicago, ministering to the poor, and fighting for civil rights. Colbert also attended the University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago, where he studied urban affairs. Colbert moved to Washington, D.C. in 1975. Prior to 1975, he was Deputy Director of Marshall McLuhan’s Center for Understanding Media in New York City. He worked on the bicentennial celebration at the U.S. Capitol in 1976, and was Media Advisor to Speaker Tip O’Neill.

His life-long calling was to use the medium of television to make a difference and promote personal and national healing. “A Capitol Fourth” and the “National Memorial Day Concert” are two of television’s longest-running live shows that commemorate America’s most important holidays, and they are consistently among the highest-rated programs on PBS. In 1981, he began producing “A Capitol Fourth” for public television. Said Colbert in a 2008 interview, “I think we need more celebration. We need to come together to unite as one family of Americans and remember it’s been a great experiment in democracy. It’s a party at the most special building in the country. Everyone’s standing, singing, dancing and having a good time.” “A Capitol Fourth,” our country’s biggest birthday party, celebrated its 36th annual broadcast in 2016.

In 1990, Colbert expanded the live Capitol broadcasts to include the “National Memorial Day Concert.” Reflecting last year on the mission of the program Colbert shared, “We think of the agony of the mother or father who lost a child, the spouses and children left behind, the people who are wounded in body and soul. And we do this memorial service to remember and reach out to them. We must remember their sacrifices and continue the mission set forth by Abraham Lincoln to 'care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.’” The “National Memorial Day Concert,” which marked its 27th anniversary in 2016, has become the nation’s premier tribute to our men and women in uniform.

Capital Concerts’ mission will continue to be led by executive producer Michael Colbert who has managed the organization in partnership with his father for over twenty years. Capital Concerts will honor Jerry Colbert’s memory by continuing to present these patriotic events he loved so much.

Colbert also produced several award-winning documentaries, which focused on citizen education by portraying the workings of government. “H.R. 6161, An Act of Congress” showed how a bill becomes a law in Congress and was followed up by “The Regulators, Our Invisible Government.” “Mr. Justice Brennan” told the story of one of America’s most influential Supreme Court Justices, and won prestigious awards such as the Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association and the Bronze Apple Award from the National Education Media Network. “Sister Adrian, the Mother Teresa of Scranton,” and a film about Speaker Tip O’Neill, “Goodbye, Mr. Speaker” (co-production with WGBH), are also Colbert productions.

Jerry’s greatest joy was his family both here and in Ireland. He is survived by his beloved wife Eileen; son John and daughter-in-law Karen; son Michael and daughter-in-law Jill; and grandchildren Catherine, Ellen, Patrick and Connor. He will be truly missed by countless family, friends, and colleagues.

A service will be held Monday, January 9th at Our Lady of the Cape Catholic Church in Brewster with visitation at noon, mass at 1:00 pm, and burial directly following the service at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Harwich Port. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society via Our Lady of the Cape. A memorial service in Washington, D.C. is planned for the near future. And Jerry wanted everyone to tell those you love that you love them every day.