When to see 82nd Chorus on America's Got Talent
Viewers can catch members of the 82nd Airborne Division All American Chorus on Tuesday night’s episode of “America’s Got Talent,” according to a news release from the production company.
The talent show competition airs on NBC at 8 p.m.
“Representing the 19,000 men and women that support and serve the Airborne Division, the chorus will attempt to win America’s hearts on the AGT stage,” the news release states.
The members of the Fort Liberty-based chorus auditioned for the competition in the spring, a member of the chorus told The Fayetteville Observer in May.
Staff Sgt. Marcus Gilbert said all 16 members of the chorus auditioned together for “America’s Got Talent.”
Gilbert said he hopes those who watch the show will have a positive response to the chorus.
“It’s not the first time an Armed forces group has been on the show, but it is the first time the 82nd, which is known to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours, has been on it,” he said.
In a nearly five-minute clip shared ahead of the show's air date, Gilbert told judge Simon Cowell that the chorus was on the show "to win."
The performance was dedicated in memory of Spc. Elijah Crawford, who died a week before the audition, Gilbert told Cowell and the audience.
"We're dedicating this performance to him and all of the soldiers that have passed before him," Gilbert said.
The soldiers sang a portion of the "Here We Go" airborne cadence, before singing "My Girl," which ended with judges standing on their feet and cheers from the crowd, according to the clip.
Who makes up the chorus
Gilbert said soldiers across the division with various job specialties audition for the chorus.
He said that those who make up the chorus, are pulled from their unit for about two years of special duty before returning to their parent unit.
The chorus audition, he said, is competitive with the first round in front of a panel of judges.
The second audition is in front of senior leaders, Gilbert said.
Soldiers have a probationary period of about 60 to 90 days in order to learn the music before undergoing a re-audition process, he said.
Time leading up to the AGT audition
Last April, a video of the All American Chorus gained millions of views after it was first posted to TikTok and later shared on the 82nd Airborne Division Association’s Facebook page.
The video shows paratroopers singing The Temptations hit “My Girl,” on a Fort Bragg’s drop zone before a jump.
More: 'Ambassadors for the 82nd': All American Chorus to be on "America's Got Talent"
The video led to opportunities for performances on the "Today Show” and the “Kelly Clarkson Show," both of which are produced by NBC.
The soldiers you'll see on the show
In addition to Gilbert, the following soldiers take part in the performance on Tuesday's broadcast:
— Staff Sgt. Mark Bendel
— Staff Sgt. Tyler Christman
— Sgt. Matthew Smith
— Sgt. Dejon Strayhorn
— Sgt. Damarielis Vargas
— Cpl. Sean Lee
— Spc. Alijah Gonzalez
— Spc. Mone’t Bentley
— Spc. Trinity Williams
— Spc. Kevin Ortiz
— Spc. Tyrek Lowery
— Spc. Oscar Roldan
— Spc. Ryan Bueche
— Spc. Corey Smith
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Show date announced for 82nd Chorus on America's Got Talent
