FINDLAY — Their music was described as “classical music meets cattle ranchers” when they appeared out of nowhere on the nationally televised talent show “America’s Got Talent.”
This trio of singers calling themselves The Texas Tenors came from very different musical traditions: classical/opera (John Hagen), country (JC Fisher) and pop/rock music (Marcus Collins). Yet, when united, their voices surprisingly formed a smooth, harmonious whole.
The Texas Tenors perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Donnell Theater in the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts,200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay. Tickets are available for $31, $43 and $47 via bit.ly/3OJ43yb.
When he first appeared on “America’s Got Talent” with his California tan, the blond, blue-eyed Collins caught the attention of judge Sharon Osbourne, who said he was “hot.”
But his good looks were hiding some bad times.
“I lived in New York for a while back in the early 2000s and worked on several different soap operas, including ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘As the World Turns,’” Collins said. “With that kind of work, I was living paycheck to paycheck, and there’s a lot of job insecurity. I was always waiting around for the phone to ring and hoping I’d be picked to work that day, for pretty much whatever job came up — construction work, temp work, extra work for television and film — you name it.”
When talking about the circumstances of how the three met and came together as a singing group, and when he felt he’d hit upon the right sound and song to have a good chance on America’s Got Talent, Collins said, “From the very first moment that we sang the first chord at seven bridges together, we knew that we had something special.”
They’ve worked hard to maintain their unique sound.
“That’s because we each bring our unique voices and experiences to the group. We are also self-managed and produced, so this gives us the ability to choose our own music and forge our own path,” Collins said. “We always say for better for worse, we own every success and every mistake. Because we came from nothing and created the group from nothing, we truly appreciate the support of our fans and know that without them we wouldn’t have a career.”
The America’s Got Talent experience was whirlwind, he said.
“I was in the middle of auditioning for a Kelly Clarkson music video in Los Angeles when JC called me to come and join them to sing and then send the tape for “America’s Got Talent.’ … We had no idea if they would like us or not or if they would vote us to the finale, but we knew that we would be ourselves, be kind to the other contestants, and hope for the best.”
Collins said he absolutely agrees everything happens for a reason, and his story can be a message of hope to people experiencing loss or otherwise going through tough times. His is a lesson in “staying strong and keep reaching for the stars and following your dreams.” It also shows the importance of “working hard and be kind to others because it will always pay off.”
And pay off it did. The group went on to earn not only commercial success but also critical acclaim.
After the win on “America’s Got Talent,” the group’s recent albums, “Outside the Lines,” “Rise” and “A Collection of Broadway and American Classics” all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, and the group won three Emmy Awards. They have performed more than 1,500 concerts in more than 20 countries.
With all his success, Collins said the one person he most wanted to make proud is missing in his life.
“My dad passed away in 1999. I met JC in 2000 and John after that. I know he would have loved this group,” he said. “All I ever wanted to do in my life was to make him proud. I know he is looking down on us and is with us in all we do.”
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