SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 6, 2013) -- Vicki Golding, champion of Army Entertainment's 2006 Military Idol singing contest, is the vocal coach/choirmaster behind the success of the American Military Spouses Choir, which will perform tonight on "America's Got Talent."
The show will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
Golding has come a long way in the entertainment industry since she performed on the stage of Wallace Theater at Fort Belvoir, Va., then the home of Army Entertainment Division. The Army unit moved because of Base Realignment and Closure to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and shortened its name to Army Entertainment.
Golding, who moved to the United States from Australia, has shared her voice with much of the National Capital Region. She has done numerous shows with the USO and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at games played by the Washington Redskins, Wizards, Capitals and Nationals at RFK Stadium. She also sang "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch at Nationals Park. She even opened the PGA Tour's AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
"I've done the national anthem for the Redskins every year for the past five years on Military Appreciation Day," said Golding, who noted that the Redskins won four of those games. "And the one time that they lost was against the Patriots, and they didn't get creamed. It was a lot closer game than everyone expected."
Golding also is a member of 4TROOPS, a touring and recording group of former military vocalists. Now she's taken her musical direction to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, site of tonight's nationally televised performance.
"I believe that without Vicki Golding rehearsing them in Washington, D.C., we would never ever be able to get this done," said Victor Hurtado, founder of the American Military Spouses Choir. "She is the reason we're able to do what we do."
She contrasted the styles of Stevie Wonder and Barbra Streisand to win the Military Idol crown, but the sounds were all Golding's. Now she strives to derive the best from others. Slowly but surely, Golding evolved from leading rehearsals to tinkering with musical arrangements while Hurtado and American Military Spouses Choir musical director Joey Beebe were in San Antonio working with the U.S. Army Soldier Show.
"It kind of just grew from there," Golding said. "From there, I've become a vocal coach and assistant music director. And right now Joey is not available, so that's why I'm here with them in New York. I spend time one-on-one with the soloists, help teach them their parts, and make them feel a bit more confident with what they're doing. And I did help come up with some of the arrangements."
Hurtado and Golding said they are not allowed to divulge what the choir will sing.
"Mariah Carey had to release the song in order for us to be able to perform it," Golding said. "That might give you a bit of a hint."
Hurtado confirmed that Carey had heard that the American Military Spouses Choir was quite good, but that she actually had to hear them perform her song before she blessed them singing it on "America's Got Talent."
Golding and Hurtado, however, do not believe this will be the American Military Spouses Choir's final appearance on "America's Got Talent."
"I wouldn't normally say this because I tend to be on the side of caution, but I think they've really got a good shot at [advancing to the finals]," Golding said. "I tend to be cautiously optimistic, but I think they've got a really good shot because it's not just about the story that they have, and they've got an awesome story, but they are really good. I was taken aback by how good they really are."
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