Singing 4 the Cubs: Daytona
Following a year of playing with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues, Jackie Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers on October 23, 1945 and was assigned to the Dodgers' AAA affiliate - the Montreal Royals. Five months later, the players in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization reported to the 1946 spring training in … [Read more...]
On the Air: WNDB-AM
Daytona, Florida – Prior to singing the National Anthem for the Daytona Cubs, I had the honor of sitting and talking with Marc Bernier on WNDB-AM radio. Click on the arrow above to listen to the interview. My friend Marc is the former husband of my dear friend and high school classmate Melodye Browning Bernier. Since their family lives in the … [Read more...]
On the Air: KTIK-FM
Following an unfortunate microphone malfunction when I sang the National Anthem, Todd Rahr, the general manager for the Boise Hawks, invited me to the press box. I had just finished singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame at the seventh inning stretch when Todd said "Hey, come up to press box and I'll put you on air with our radio announcer. He can … [Read more...]
Singing 4 the Cubs: Boise
When I created this Singing 4 the Cubs campaign, I knew it would take a lot of planning. Assuming I can get an invitation to sing at each of the ballparks (and there's no certainty of that - I only have three confirmed stops on my map), the biggest question is how will I get to those ballparks? Drive? Fly? Singing for the Tennessee Smokies … [Read more...]
Working 4 the Cubs: Wells Ford
One of the benefits of singing for the teams in the Chicago Cubs' organization is that I get to met some great people who work for these teams. When I sang for the Tennessee Smokies, I met Wells Ford who has sold programs at Smokies Park for nine seasons. Originally from Brooklyn, Wells and I talked about NYC baseball and how the greater New … [Read more...]
Singing 4 the Cubs: Tennessee
It's moments before I am introduced as the game's National Anthem singer and I am standing just off the grass, singing the first lines of the song over and over again. Every so often, I blow the note D3 on my pitch pipe. That's the D below middle C, my starting note. Today I'm in Sevierville to sing the National Anthem for the Tennessee … [Read more...]
More than Just a Song
The Star Spangled Banner is truly our song. Whenever Americans gather for public and/or important events, the song unites the participants and focuses attention to the beginning. But when you look deeper, you realize that the song about our flag means a whole lot more. When I worked at HCA (Hospital Corporation of America), the company always … [Read more...]
That Nashville Sound (System)
My introduction to singing for professional baseball came with the Nashville Sounds, our minor league team with a long history of AA and AAA affiliations. At present they are the AAA Brewers holding down 1st place in the American Southern division of the Pacific Coast League. In recent years the Sounds have held a one-day tryout for everyone … [Read more...]
The First Time
The first time I ever sang the Star Spangled Banner as a soloist was at a Little League game in Bellevue. It think it was the end of the season, perhaps the playoffs, so Terry wanted to do something out of the ordinary. Umpire and friend Dean Riordan recommended me for the task. I was happy to oblige. I climbed the rickety wooden "press box" … [Read more...]