Posted on 02/21/2006 2:59:28 PM PST by SandRat
ORLANDO (Army News Service, Feb. 18, 2006) – The “world’s happiest place” has been invaded by some of the Army’s best entertainers.
The Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division “All-American” Chorus entertained hundreds of Mickey Mouse fans – young and old – at an outdoor performance pavilion in Downtown Disney Feb. 18.
The concert was a part of Disney’s Magic Music Days program, which brings non-professional bands, choirs and orchestras to Disney World for the chance to participate in educational workshops with Disney musicians or perform for the thousands who visit the amusement parks daily. The program brings over one thousand groups from all over the world and is managed by a staff of more than 50, according to Disney officials who work on the program.
The performance also allowed the group to give the Disney visitors a taste of the 82nd Airborne Division and the United States Army.
There are 23 Soldiers in the chorus, all of whom are professional Soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division. They are led by director Staff Sgt. Jerome Coleman.
“All of the Soldiers your see up there are highly trained Soldiers,” said Coleman. While their full-time, temporary assignment is to the Chorus, the group is composed of Soldiers from all backgrounds, including infantrymen, medics, engineers and cavalry and Armor Soldiers. All of them have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, Coleman said.
“I think I came out of the womb singing,” said Sgt. Anthony Brown, “or maybe it was screaming, but my parents said it was music to their ears.”
He has been singing ever since, he said.
The chorus impressed the crowd with a show that blended tight harmony, patriotic songs and slapstick shtick. The “All-American” chorus’ show included the National Anthem, “My Girl” by the Temptations, Darryl Worley’s “Have You Forgotten,” and, of course, the 82nd Airborne Song, “All-American Soldier.”
During the performance of Lee Greenwod’s “Proud to Be an American,” almost the entire crowd was on its feet.
The chorus showed the Army’s light-hearted side as well. During “Blood Upon the Risers,” a parody of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” that chronicles the misfortunes of an airborne Soldier, a soloist pretending to forget the lyrics pulled out notes from his uniform. Each time, Coleman would feign anger and take the notes away, only for the Soldier to bring out another copy stashed elsewhere in his uniform.
The crowd even did the wave at the request of one of the singers, just because “he hadn’t seen the wave in awhile.”
“The more into it [the crowd is], the better we are on stage,” said Coleman.
The “All-American” chorus is a tight knit group, its members said. They are all bonded by their love of music and commitment to the Army and the 82nd Division.
The group travels extensively performing all over the United States, said Coleman. They have also performed in Canada, Puerto Rico and Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.
“These guys are pretty much my family away from my family,” said Brown, a bass singer in the chorus and the group’s narrator.
Following the performance, several people from the audience came up to the Soldiers to thank them for their service, take photos with them, and get their autographs.
As one young boy in a Spiderman costume was wheeled by in a stroller, a Soldier yelled out, “nice uniform.”
The man pushing the stroller, without pause, responded, “he likes yours too."
May God Bless them.
LMPO!
Have they made an album?
I would love to have one.
Thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.