February 21, 2013

Air Force Band Starlifter to Perform in Memphis



The U.S. Air Force band Starlifter will be performing a free concert at the Memphis Theatre on March 10th.

The City of Memphis is steeped in the tradition of airplanes and community theatre. These two calling cards of the community will come together on March 10th as the Memphis Theatre will host the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America's group, Starlifter in a free public concert.

This seven-piece group of talented musicians will travel to Memphis, the home of the historical Pheasant aircraft, as guests of the Memphis Community Players, who continue the tradition of bringing the region's top talent to the stage in Memphis.

Starlifter performs in virtually every musical idiom, from Rock and Pop to Jazz and Country, to great contemporary and traditional patriotic songs. They feature the best in popular music from the 1970's to the most current sounds at the top of today's charts.

Because of their unique and diverse programs, the group was an overwhelming success in a recent three-month deployment to South West Asia in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. The band visited six countries, entertaining and raising the morale of United States servicemen and women, coalition forces and civilians.

Starlifter also went on a four-month humanitarian and civic assistance deployment to seven Central and South America and Caribbean countries. They performed for more than 34,000 people in over 90 performances. In El Salvador, 4,000 listeners stood and cheered through a two-hour performance, and in Nicaragua, 500 shouting orphaned children sang out.

A component of the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America, Starlifter is just one of the musical ambassadors of the Air Mobility Command. Formerly known as the Air Force Band of Mid-America, the Military Airlift Command Band, and then as the AMC Band of Mid-America, the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America was established in 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1960, the Band began working from its present home at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, as the principal representative of the Military Air Transport Service and the Military Airlift Command, both predecessors of the Air Mobility Command. In any given year, the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America and its component units perform more than 400 engagements for over one million people.

In the tradition of their namesake, the C-141 Starlifter transport jet, this combo's high-energy music transports its listeners to a higher plane. The band consists of noncommissioned officer in charge, Master Sergeant Paul Shaw, vocalists Staff Sergeant Albert Williams and Airman 1st Class Joanne Griffin; guitarists Staff Sergeant Andrew Minns; with Airman 1st Class Michael Mitchell on keyboards, Airman 1st Class Christopher Haughey on bass; and Master Sergeant Paul Shaw on drums. The group's audio engineer is Technical Sergeant Steve Dengler.

The concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 10th and is free of admission, open to all ages.