THIS IS AMERICA - Three Mo' Tenors

THIS IS AMERICA -January 25, 2002: Three Mo' Tenors 2

By Lawan Davis
VOICE ONE:
Music experts say more people are becoming interested in classical music because it is being presented in new

ways by new groups. A group of singers called Three Mo’.. Tenors is such a group. I’m Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. The music of Three Mo’.. Tenors is our report

today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((MUSIC BRIDGE FROM THREE MO’.. TENORS)
)
VOICE ONE:
Three Mo’.. Tenors present concerts that celebrate many kinds of music.

Their first concert was presented in New York City in the summer of Two-
Thousand. Since then, they have performed in many cities in the United
States. Their concert also has been broadcast on television.

From left: Victor Trent Cook, Thomas
Young, Rodrick Dixon
(Photo -threemotenors.com)
A tenor 1 is the highest natural adult male singing voice. Three African-American singers perform as Three Mo’..
Tenors. They are Victor Trent Cook, Rodrick Dixon and Thomas Young. They sing seven different kinds of
music --opera, songs from Broadway shows, jazz, blues 3, soul, spiritual and gospel. Listen as they sing “La
Donna e Mobile ”.. from Giuseppe Verdi’.. s opera “Rigoletto.”..

((CUT ONE – “LA DONNA E MOBILE"))

VOICE TWO:

You may think they sound like any other group of tenors trained to sing classical music. Listen again as the same
performers celebrate the sounds of Broadway. This song is from the Broadway musical show “Five Guys
Named Moe.”.. It is called “Let the Good Times Roll.”..

((CUT 2 – “LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL"))

VOICE ONE:

Broadway director Marion Caffey is creator and director of Three Mo’.. Tenors. He says he got the idea for the
Three Mo’.. Tenors concert while listening to the successful concert of the Three Tenors. It was performed by
three world-famous opera singers, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

Mister Caffey says he wants Three Mo’.. Tenors to show that African -American singers are skilled performers of

classical music. Mister Caffey says there has been a lack of African -American tenors singing opera or classical
music in concert. He includes this message in the Three Mo’.. Tenors concert. Rodrick Dixon sings “Make
Them Hear You ”.. from the Broadway musical “Ragtime 4.”..

((CUT 3 – “MAKE THEM HEAR YOU"))

VOICE TWO:

The Three Mo’.. Tenors are trained in classical as well as other kinds of music. Victor Trent Cook received a
Tony Award nomination 5 in Nineteen-Ninety-Five for his performance in the Broadway musical “Smokey Joe ’..
s Café.”.. He has also performed in other Broadway shows.


Rodrick Dixon has sung in concerts in the United States, France and Italy. He has appeared on Broadway in the
musical “Ragtime.”Thomas Young has performed in major concert halls and opera houses in twenty countries.
He has also performed in theater and as a jazz singer.

VOICE ONE:

Listen to more music from the Three Mo’.. Tenors concert. The tenors sing a collection of songs written or made
popular by Duke Ellington. Here they sing “You Gotta Be a Rug Cutter and It Don’t Mean a Thing.
”
((CUT 4 -“YOU GOTTA BE A RUG CUTTER/IT DON’T MEAN A THING”)
)
VOICE TWO:
Soul music became popular in the United States during the Nineteen-Sixties and Nineteen-Seventies. The song

“Love Train ”.. remains 6 popular today.
((CUT 5 – “LOVE TRAIN")
)
VOICE ONE:

Music critics are praising the Three Mo’.. Tenors. Experts say the tenors are excellent at singing many kinds of

music, as a group and as individuals.
The Three Mo’.. Tenors concert ends with a spiritually emotional performance of gospel songs. The tenors are
joined by a small group of gospel singers. We leave you with “It’s My Time to Be Blessed.
”

((CUT 6 – “IT’S MY TIME TO BE BLESSED”)
)
VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Lawan Davis. It was produced by Caty Weaver 7. Our studio engineer was Holly 8
Capehart. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Mary Tillotson. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA

Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

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