SOUTHWEST ASIA - An element of the 571st Air Force Band, Missouri National Guard, is gaining world-wide fame after a video of one of their performances in Southwest Asia went viral.
The 10-member band, Sidewinder, is currently on a 45-day deployment performing throughout the Middle East. One of their performances, an acoustic version of a popular song, “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, was posted to YouTube and the number of hits grew quickly.
“The YouTube clip has gone crazy,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Brian House, a trumpet player and for the 571st. “It’s virtually across the globe. I found out that a television show in Hawaii used the video and it’s been shown on TV in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.”
Since Tuesday, the video has been viewed more than 850,000 times.
Among those who have seen the video is Carson Daly, the producer of the hit NBC show “The Voice.” Daly was so impressed with the singing of Air Force Staff Sgt. Angie Johnson, a singer in the band, that he contacted her via Twitter and invited her to audition for the show after she returns home.
“Angie Johnson you are awesome,” Daly tweeted. “I want to offer/help you audition for the show.”
Johnson said she didn’t know how Daly found out about their video, but is happy he did.
“My jaw is on the floor,” she said.
Despite their newfound fame, Sidewinder members deflect the accolades to their audience and the country they serve.
“It is our privilege to come over here and play for the troops,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Owens, a member of the band. “We’re playing for our brothers and sisters in arms – the real rock stars and heroes of our country and the best audiences on the planet.”
“It’s all about troop morale,” said Air Force Capt. John Arata, the band’s commanding officer. “We know that troop morale is a force multiplier and, in some cases, a life-saver. We are motivated to bring our audience a quality product – to involve them and make sure they have an enjoyable time.”
House believes the popularity of Sidewinder allows them to serve as perfect ambassadors for Missouri and the military in general.
“The excellence that you see on the stage is the same excellence you’ll see across the Missouri Air and Army National Guard,” he said.
Popularity of the video has also led to an interview with the Fox News Network and invitations to perform on-air from ABC’s “Good Morning America” and Warner Brothers’ “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
As the band is still overseas, House said they may not feel the full effects of their popularity until they return to the states.
“They probably don’t fully know the extent to which all this has grown,” House said. “As the band’s public affairs representative I can tell you it has kept me busy over the last several days and I don’t see it letting up for a while.”
The 571st Air Force Band, also known as The Band of the Central States, is one of 11 regional Air National Guard bands in the country and is part of the 131st Bomb Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard.