Texas Tenors to Open Piney Woods Fine Arts Season in Crockett
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT — The Ritz Theatre will welcome a trio known for blending country roots, classical training and patriotic music when The Texas Tenors bring their “Let Freedom Sing” concert to Crockett on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Presented by the Piney Woods Fine Arts Association (PWFAA), the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and serve as the opening performance of PWFAA’s 2026-27 “Stars & Stripes” season. Tickets are $65.
The Texas Tenors are made up of JC Fisher, Marcus Collins and John Hagen. The group first gained national attention as finalists on “America’s Got Talent” in 2009 and has since built a career around a wide range of musical styles, including country, classical, Broadway, pop, gospel and American standards.
Their official biography credits the group with more than 2,000 concerts, five studio albums and two PBS specials. The Texas Tenors have also received three Emmy Awards and were inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
The three performers bring different backgrounds to the group.
Fisher studied music at Wichita State University and has performed opera, musical theater and popular music around the world. Collins combines classical vocal training with experience in theater, television and contemporary music. Hagen has performed leading roles in opera and Broadway productions and has appeared with symphonies across the country.
Together, the three voices give The Texas Tenors room to move between familiar American songs, powerful patriotic selections and more formal classical arrangements. The “Let Freedom Sing” program is built around that range, with the group’s trademark cowboy hats and country presentation paired with the vocal technique of traditionally trained tenors.
The concert also opens a season designed to offer a variety of performances to audiences in Houston County and the surrounding area.
Following The Texas Tenors, the season will continue Oct. 10 with country music artist TG Sheppard and his “Midnight in Memphis” program.
Actor and entertainer Tony Danza will present the spotlight event “Standards & Stories” on Nov. 20. Danza is known for his television and film career, but his stage program combines music, personal stories and the standards that have influenced him.
The season will turn toward the holidays Dec. 3 with Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The production will bring the familiar story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the spirits of Christmas to the stage.
Country artist Neal McCoy will close the announced season lineup with a Dec. 19 spotlight event.
The “Stars & Stripes” theme gives the season a patriotic frame, but the schedule itself covers several different styles of entertainment. Audiences will have opportunities to hear country music, vocal crossover, traditional standards, live theater and holiday performances without having to travel far from home.
That variety has long been part of the role PWFAA plays in the region. By bringing touring performers and theatrical productions to the Ritz Theatre, the organization helps connect local audiences with artists who might otherwise require a trip to a larger city.
The Texas Tenors’ visit is also a reminder of the different kinds of performances the Ritz Theatre can accommodate. The venue has hosted musicians, comedians, theatrical productions and special events, allowing the season to move from a large vocal presentation in September to a spoken-word and music program in November, a holiday production in December and another country performance before Christmas.
The concert is funded in part through the Houston County Hotel Occupancy Tax. PWFAA also lists support from local businesses and community sponsors as part of its season programming.
Tickets for The Texas Tenors are available through pwfaa.org. The performance will be held at the Ritz Theatre in Crockett, with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. For additional information, contact PWFAA at 936-544-4276.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
