We're Betting You Don't Know About These Incredible Singing Cadet Performances

With chisel and paintbrush in hand, first-year Singing Cadets whittle their way into Texas A&M University’s premier men’s chorus through an experience known as Key Weekend. Throughout the weekend, each new member is tasked with carving a key-shaped object from wood before a small pamphlet is fastened to its back.  The pamphlet bears a list of upperclassmen names, each eager to teach new members about campus landmarks and traditions. Step by step, story by story, they become expertly educated on Texas A&M University. Only once each question is answered does the experience reach its culmination, when each new member is deemed ready to represent Aggieland.

Since 1893, the Singing Cadets have established themselves as not only a choir but also a fine group of young men who exemplify a deep love and loyalty for Aggieland through purpose, unity, spirit and honor. Serving as ambassadors for their university, the group participates in more than 70 performances each year as they take the Aggie Spirit around the world. “Some of my favorite memories have come from the last 30 seconds of our performances,” said the group’s president, Jackson Hake ’26. “When the crowd is on their feet, smiling and applauding, I’m extremely grateful and proud to have had such a profound impact on our audiences’ lives.”

However, such life-changing opportunities would not be possible without the support of donors like Jan ’85 and David Larsen ’85, whose son, Christopher ’16 ’18, experienced the program firsthand. Having intentionally saved to establish a meaningful gift, the Larsens first asked where support was needed most, a conversation that led the family to create an endowment to support travel costs. The group’s director, David Kipp, emphasized that students pay part of their costs out of their own pocket, so donor support is essential.

 

“We wanted to make sure no young man missed out on any experience because of finances,” Jan shared. “With travel costs increasing, it became clear this was an area that needed the most support to allow Singing Cadets to fulfill their mission of ambassadorship.” In addition to removing monetary barriers, their contribution honors Christopher’s journey, who is also contributing to the endowment, while also paying tribute to Jan’s late mother, who fell in love with the Singing Cadets after attending countless performances.

As the Singing Cadets’ leader for more than three decades, Kipp provides the group’s members with lasting mentorship while preserving its rich tradition of more than 130 years and ensuring the Voice of Aggieland continues to be heard. From coast to coast and continent to continent, the Singing Cadets’ history is best told through the stages they’ve stepped on and the audiences they’ve reached.
 

1911: North Texas Travels

The Singing Cadets’ first North Texas trip marked more than a performance — it began a lasting relationship with a region that would become central to their mission. The Dallas area, home to the oldest Aggie Moms Club, quickly emerged as a cornerstone of support, serving as both a loyal audience and one of the group’s first concert sponsors. What started as a single trip soon became tradition, with Dallas remaining a consistent stop on their spring tour schedule. That early partnership also laid the foundation for impact after the curtain closes, as today many Aggie Moms Clubs often donate concert proceeds to annual scholarships for local students attending Texas A&M.

1942: Singing for the Silver Screen

As they were establishing their repertoire as polished vocalists, the group stepped into an unexpected role in 1942 as movie stars when they provided the full musical soundtrack for the Hollywood film “We’ve Never Been Licked,” a production rooted in campus life, World War II and the grit of Texas A&M. From the heart of Aggieland to the intensity of the battlefield, their voices carried the story, reinforcing Texas A&M’s identity as both a military and leadership powerhouse.

1949: Texas-Sized Sounds

1949 saw the Singing Cadets begin to establish a presence in some of Texas’ most visible and influential venues. From the State Fair of Texas in Dallas to appearances before the Texas Legislature, the group showcased their choral excellence and begin to expand Texas A&M’s reputation across the state.
 

1952: A New Frontier

Led by legendary director William “Pop” Turner, the group achieved a new major milestone when they traveled to Monterrey, Mexico, for their very first international appearance. That initial step south of the border set a powerful precedent that has since grown into a legacy of international trips touching every continent except Antarctica. “We still prefer to go off the beaten path,” Kipp said. “We aim to take students places they normally wouldn’t go.”

1963: A Storm of Opportunity

A rainy performance turned into a national opportunity when the Aggie vocalists sang at the Six Flags Over Texas theme park in a downpour. Among the listeners was Charles Meeker, director of the Miss Teenage America pageant, who invited the group to perform at the televised contest, marking their first step into national television. What began as a single opportunity became an eight-year tradition, placing the group on screens across the country.

1968-1971: Friendships with Franchi

In 1968, the group began to grow their national television presence with an appearance on “The Mike Douglas Show,” thanks to an invitation from Nellie Connally, wife of then-Texas Gov. John Connally. Sharing the broadcast with well-known entertainers, including singer Anita Bryant, the performance strengthened their reputation as Texas A&M’s premier musical group.

Soon after, their connection with the entertainment world further blossomed when the group crossed paths with Italian star Sergio Franchi — a meeting that would prove to be more than momentary. Franchi took notice of the group’s sound and stage presence, becoming a strong advocate and opening doors that extended far beyond campus. That momentum carried the Aggies to the Big Apple and beyond, positioning them alongside prominent performers during a time when television was reshaping the music industry. The Singing Cadets could soon be found stepping into the recording booth alongside Franchi, collaborating on his 1971 single “No Man Is An Island,” and providing backup during his performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

1971: Worship at the White House

The group reached another new octave in 1971 with a special appearance in Washington, D.C. Invited to perform at the White House during President Richard Nixon’s administration, the Singing Cadets participated in a worship service before offering an impromptu concert for the press corps and staff. Following the performance, Nixon met with the group — a moment captured in a photograph of shared laughter.

1974: Ambassadors Abroad

Ambassadorship was taken to a new level in 1974 when Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. commissioned each Singing Cadet as an official ambassador of goodwill for the state, expanding their role beyond Texas A&M to representing Texas and the nation abroad. That year, the group traveled to Romania, a country navigating its identity amid Soviet influence. To fund the tour, they quite literally got to work, hiring themselves out to local businesses and individuals, with every dollar going toward the trip. Traveling by bus and performing across the country, the experience left a lasting impact on the students involved.

1981: The Big Leagues

Capitalizing on their values of patriotism, the Singing Cadets took center stage in 1981 at the Astrodome, performing the pregame show and national anthem for a game between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. The appearance reflected a broader tradition of performing at major sporting events and national observances, from opening days to Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. Their presence among Space City sports became sought after. “I think it’s important to note that the Singing Cadets performed at the last opening day in the Astrodome and the first opening day in what was then known as Minute Maid Park,” Kipp emphasized, further weaving the group into the fabric of some of Texas’ fan-filled fields.

1986: Hymns of History

In 1986, the Singing Cadets lent their voices to a milestone moment in state history: Texas’ sesquicentennial. From Washington-on-the-Brazos to the San Jacinto Battlegrounds, their performances became part of honoring the state’s legacy. Since then, the group has continued to mark Texas Independence Day through performances each year, particularly at Washington-on-the-Brazos, where their presence has become a familiar part of the celebration.

2004: Onstage Outback

Beyond marking their first trip down under, the Singing Cadets’ 2004 Australian tour was also the first time members stayed with host families internationally, a practice that’s central to the group’s tour experience but had previously been reserved for state and national concerts. The tour came during a time when America faced heightened global scrutiny due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, shaping how the country was perceived abroad. Yet through simple, personal interactions, those perceptions shifted for the Aggies’ Australian hosts. One host reflected that meeting the Singing Cadets changed their understanding of Americans entirely, revealing a character far different from what they had seen in the headlines.

2017: Presidential Performances

During President George H.W. Bush’s 92nd birthday, the Singing Cadets traded stage lights for a living room setting when they performed at the Bush family’s coastal retreat before an intimate audience that included the former president and first lady and former British Prime Minister John Major. Later that year, they stood on a very different stage to open Reed Arena’s One America Appeal concert in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, singing the national anthem within arm’s reach of all five living U.S. presidents. As the final note settled, former President Barack Obama turned to the end-of-row cadet, shook his hand and said, “Thank you for your service.”