Medic and classically-trained violinist Pfc. Marcus Mullins, 22, of Nashville, Tenn., smiles at bassist Jessica Fagre, of Boulder, Colo., during a concert by country music singer Brian Stace at Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Medic and classically-trained violinist Pfc. Marcus Mullins, 22, of Nashville, Tenn., smiles at bassist Jessica Fagre, of Boulder, Colo., during a concert by country music singer Brian Stace at Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Fagre encourages the audience to clap during. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather Koutnik, 24, of Dale City, Va., takes the microphone after being invited on stage by Stace, right. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Stace performed at Kandahar Air Field's "boardwalk" as part of a three-week tour of Afghanistan bases. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Evans, 35, of Kenosha, Wis., gets a taste of show biz when she was invited to perform with guitarist Mark Agnesi, 24, of Hollywood, Calif. (Monte Morin / S&S)
Country music singer Brian Stace and his band performed for soldiers, sailors and airmen Saturday night at Kandahar Airfield’s boardwalk as part of a three-week tour of various military bases.
Stace, whose song “Daddy’s Comin Home,” is popular among the deployed, was traveling with a Tennessee National Guardsman and medic who played the fiddle.
Pfc. Marcus Mullins, 22, of Nashville, Tenn., was invited to play with the band through a mutual contact in Nashville, where Stace lives.
Mullins, who began training in classical violin at age 3, said he was thrilled to accompany the band.
“This is all new to me,” Mullins said. “I’ve never been in a combat theater delivering entertainment to the troops. It’s exciting … I know that at some point I’m going to be (deployed) here too.”
Stace’s visit to Afghanistan was coordinated through Morale, Welfare and Recreation services. But due to an oversight — the MWR employee responsible went on leave — the band’s appearance in Kandahar was never publicized or promoted. Still, a crowd of more than 200 American, British, Canadian, Dutch, Bulgarian and other troops gathered when the concert began.
