Tops in Blue rock south Georgia

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
VALDOSTA, Ga. --  The Tops in Blue made a stop at the Mathis Auditorium in Valdosta, Ga., Feb. 2. in order to perform their Rhythm Nation show for the city and the military community in attendance.

Tops in Blue last performance in Valdosta was Nov., 2010. Since that show, a new group of performers have trained and taken their spot. Now they have traveled the world performing shows for as many people as possible.

"We travel to places all over the world and put on performances like this one with just the crew and the equipment you see here," said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Robert Doyle, Tops in Blue officer in charge as well as a vocalist for the group. "In the beginning it would take us 12 hours to set everything up, now it only takes about three."

Tops and Blue is a musical group made up of vocalists, dancers, musicians and technicians, all active duty Air Force Airmen who perform shows for military families all over the world.

"Tops in Blue has been the hardest thing I have done in my life and more than likely the hardest thing I will ever do," said Sgt. Derek Speights, Tops in Blue vocalist and an aircraft fuels system craftsman with the 23d Component Maintenance Squadron out of Moody.

"Coming into this, it was not what I expected to say the least but it has been the most rewarding thing I have done in my life," he added. "I have added new people to my family and have seen the world."

The tour takes the group to bases all over the world even to deployed locations where they perform to increase morale and give Service members a chance to enjoy some down time.

Each of these performances are approximately 90 minutes and includes a multitude of songs by different artists and each year a different theme is chosen, for the 2011 tour, Rhythm Nation was chosen to be the theme.

"I thought of myself as more of a soulful singer before starting with the group," said Speights. "When I arrived they told me I would be singing jazz music which really surprised me but they helped mold you and realize your potential."

The tour will be wrapping up its final venues and will perform there last show, Feb. 24, at the Bob Hope Performing Arts Center, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, Texas.

Tops in Blue members are only on tour for a year, but Speights along with some of the other Tops in Blue members will be trying out for the 2013 tour season but know it will be tough as that is the 60 anniversary of the tops in blue.

"I would love to come back and play in the Tops in Blue, but the tour in 2013 will be difficult," said Speights. "That will be the 60 anniversary so everyone will be trying to join the tour for that year."

For more information about Tops in Blue or to learn about how to apply, visit here Tops in Blue.