From left, soloists Conner Sharp, Edie Beagles, Mallory Morris and Chelsea Brewster hang out on their school's playground. The children were featured in a recent YouTube release of "Listen to the Music" that is now making waves nationally.Boynton Elementary School Chorus is topping the charts lately with its YouTube version of "Listen to the Music."
"We are getting national recognition from the Doobie Brothers Fan Club," said Sheri Thrower, who is in her 11th year of directing the choir. Doobie Brothers vocalist Patrick Simmons' wife Chris Simmons emailed me to say she had seen our video of 'Listen to the Music' and she posted it on the Doobie Brothers Fan Club website."
Thrower said her students have received radio play around the country thanks to their promoter Patterson Promotions. The song made it to the No. 1 spot on two fan-voted gospel charts.
"Little Buddy Radio Show" out of West Virginia - hosted by Dreama Denver, wife of Bob Denver who played Gilligan on TV show "Gilligan's Island" - is playing Boynton Chorus' rendition. Locally it is being played on US 101, J103 and 92.3 at present.
This has been the chorus's first year to make it on the radio, to create a YouTube video and to top charts, Thrower said. Cross Music Group works with Boynton Chorus on producing.
"We take over tunes and put a new spin on it," said Thrower, who is a studio musician and songwriter.
She is also this year's Award of Excellence of Music Education winner as named at the Gospel Music Express Georgia Music Awards of Excellence. At the awards ceremony her students served as the opening act for a Dove Award winning group named Red Roots.
One of Thrower's former students, Nicholas Hickman, was bestowed an Excellence in Youth Music Award at the ceremony.
Third-grader Conner Sharp, fourth-grader Edie Beagles and fifth-graders Mallory Morris and Chelsea Brewster all agree that being in the Boynton Chorus helps them "express their personality through music." For example, Conner said he likes pretending to be a banjo when the chorus sings "Mountain Music."
"I love to have the chance to be able to sing in front of people," said Edie. "Ms. Thrower is really sweet."
In years past the Boynton Chorus has performed in Disney World and has performed five times as the opening act for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Six years ago the chorus received a call back from "America's Got Talent" for its performance of "Amen." Willie Kitchens said the Boynton soloist sounded like Michael Jackson in his early years, said Thrower.
"We are really thankful for the support we get from the Catoosa County Board of Education, the community and school," she said. "I would like to say a special thanks to our principal Gina Haynes and our assistant principal Jennifer Scott for their support."