Photo By Staff Sgt. Katrina Brisbin | Tops in Blue performers end their show at the Coral Reef Fitness Center with a tribute...... read more read more
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ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - The Tops in Blue 2014 tour, "Celebrating 60 Years of Tradition," stopped for a performance at the Coral Reef Fitness Center Aug. 6.
"It's a fun way to celebrate Air Force heritage," said Gail Lee, 36th Force Support Squadron Community Services flight chief. "They perform current popular music and also have great stage effects and dancing."
During the show, audience members traveled through time as the entertainers took them on a journey with songs from different eras. They incorporated hit songs from the 1950s to today.
According to the Tops in Blue website, Maj. Al Reilly created the Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest in 1953 to recognize talented Airmen in various categories ranging from comedy, drama, vocals, gospel, vocal and instrumental groups, country and western, and several others. His idea was to discover the highest caliber of entertainment and provide it for Air Force families throughout the world, thus the phrase "family entertaining family" was first adopted.
This concept was brought to life during the Wednesday event when performer Senior Airman Jessica Seaborne was surprised by a familiar face.
"I was just singing and dancing to the crowd when I heard them say Sgt. Seaborne," she said. "When my brother came on stage I didn't know what to do. I just froze. I was so fluttered."
Staff Sgt. William Seaborne, 509th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit aircraft hydraulics mechanic, is currently deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
The Seaborne siblings last saw each other at Christmas but Airman Seaborne was not aware that her brother had just arrived on Andersen with the 509th EAMU a few days earlier. The two embraced during the act and made plans to meet later during their shared Andersen visit.
The event was memorable for the audience as well.
"The whole show was just amazing," said 1st Lt. Alicia Ferris, 36th Contracting Squadron contracting administrator. "I actually loved the whole thing; the guys dancing, the costume changes and everything was awesome. The singing was really good."
For 61 years, Tops in Blue has traveled the world to entertain military service members and their families. The all active-duty organization tours more than 20 countries and performs nearly 150 shows each year. This year's 85-show, 76-location tour is scaled back from the 125-show, 112-location tour it put on in 2012. Last year's tour was canceled due to sequestration, but the group returned for a short holiday tour at the end of the year.
Their next performance will take place Aug. 11 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
| Date Taken: | 08.06.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2014 02:30 |
| Story ID: | 138941 |
| Location: | ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GU |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Tops in Blue rocks Guam, by SSgt Katrina Brisbin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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