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UT employee part of quintet to sing at Fifth Third Field |
| By
Kim Harvey |
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Apr 2, 2008 |
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There will be a singing Rocket on a field of Mud Hens this spring.
Carl Warner, who works in Information Technology on the Health Science Campus, will bring his tenor to Fifth Third Field Friday, April 4. He is a member of a quintet called SonRise, which has been tapped to sing the national anthem prior to the Toledo Mud Hens-Durham Bulls minor league baseball game.
The group will offer a repeat performance before the Mud Hens’ Tuesday, July 8, game against the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees.
Warner said a recent spate of inclement weather actually worked in the quintet’s favor.
“Remember that big snowstorm we had a few weeks back? Well, we piled into a van and drove down to the audition,” Warner said. “We’d been told there could be lines of people waiting to audition, but there was only one person in front of us.”
SonRise, all members of Warner’s church, performed an a cappella version of the anthem in front of Mud Hens personnel. Much like reality performance television, the group was given a thumbs-up and scheduled for two gigs at Fifth Third Field.
“We’re excited about this,” Warner remarked. “We were going to try out last year, but the day of tryouts was the same day my dad passed away. The idea kind of got pushed to the side. We were bound and determined we’d try out this year.”
More than 50 family members and friends are planning to attend the performances, he said, categorizing SonRise’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as “just a straight-up, a cappella rendition.”
SonRise was formed about five years ago and has had four to five members. The group sings often in church, and recently has begun performing at other events. The men practice about two hours each week.
“Our songs are all gospel, for the most part,” Warner explained. “We like to do songs with high action. They make you want to stomp your foot when we’re singing them. I get goose bumps when I sing certain songs.”
Warner said he’s not nervous about singing in front of what could be approximately 10,000 fans at Fifth Third Field. The invitations to sing for the Mud Hens, he mused, could lead to bigger opportunities about 60 miles up the road.
“The Mud Hens are a feeder team for the [Detroit] Tigers,” he said. “It could open the door for us to sing at Comerica Park.”
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