Tops in Blue performs at Memorial Auditorium, wraps up road tour

  • Published
  • By Frank Carter
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Tops in Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainers, performed its final show on the "Rhythm Nation," road tour at the Memorial Auditorium in Wichita Falls, Texas, Feb. 21.
 
After the high energy musical journey through history, the audience began to shuffle out auditorium doors. However, the Airmen of Tops in Blue still had their work cut out for them before they could leave for the night.

"A lot of people have a misconception of Tops in Blue," said Staff Sgt. Tommie Crutcher services journeyman, 7th Force Support Squadron. "People think we came into the Air Force just to sing and dance and that's all we do. Most people don't know that we set up our own equipment and tear down our own equipment. We are not performers who happen to be Airmen; we are Airmen who happen to be performers."

Members of the tour group are not only traveling and performing; they still have to take care of their Airmen duties. They deploy, train, have physical training tests and are required to do everything any other Airman is required to do.

"We perform, set up and take down equipment but we also have PT tests which most of the group scored 90 percent or better on," Crutcher said. "We also have upgrade training, our Career Development Courses and training we have to do as well."

Crutcher said the program teaches the importance of taking care of other people and that people will get out of it ten times more out of the experience than what they put into it.

Senior Airman Jarrod Burton, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron Waters Fuels Maintenance journeyman and Tops in Blues member, found his time on the tour proved to be more rewarding than he initially thought it would be.

"This is bigger than singing and dancing; this is a mission," Burton said. "We bring morale to a lot of troops. It is overwhelming sometimes."

Because of the grueling pace the touring group must endure, they are required to take a year off between tours. Performers must audition again for each tour. Counting the 60-day training period, each tour will last for about a year. There are about 140 performances in a 10 month period.

Now that the group has completed its road tour, they will return to San Antonio, their home base, where they will give one last performance. The group will be getting a needed rest after an exhausting year of touring throughout the world.

If you are interested in auditioning or would like more information about Tops in Blue go to www.topsinblue.com. You can also watch previous performances on YouTube.