http://journalrecord.com/tinkertakeoff/2018/01/26/33147/
Feature Story on Tinker AFB's Vocalist John Eads
Kevan Goff-Parker
Staff Writer
Tinker Air Force Base’s John Eads has proudly performed “The Star Spangled Banner” and other patriotic songs representing the spirit of Team Tinker more than 600 times during various base events through the years.
“It was around seven years of my working here before I even sang a note on base,” Eads said. “One of our senior leaders at the time had gotten wind about my band, Rhetoric, performing at clubs. I have never once solicited to sing at any ceremony; it just happened by word of mouth.
“Singing our national anthem means a great deal to me and a great deal to our country and military, plus it lends substance to an otherwise routine work schedule for a lot of civilians.”
Eads, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s lead logistician for the TF33 engine, is comfortable belting out everything from patriotic songs to rock and pop, as well as a rendition of American Country Artist Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” song that Eads performed to win first place in 2009 during the Tinker Idol competition.
Becoming a vocalist came naturally to Eads when his father asked him to sing at a young age. He gained more performance experience in high school. Although his parents didn’t have the money to send him to college, the young singer paid his own way and attended Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance.
After graduation from SNU in 1998, Eads was a baritone with a five octave range. He had to make “heartbreaking” decisions about whether to follow his singing career in Nashville or other musical hubs, but since he had married in college, he decided he needed a good steady job in Oklahoma. He was about to start a job that was less than stellar for his talents when a friend suggested Eads apply at Tinker AFB. He was hired soon afterwards. college graduation dresses 2018
It was a record-setting 9/11 Memorial Run & Ruck for Team Tinker. 1,730 people registered to participate, over 100 volunteered, plus collaboration from every squadron and organization at Tinker, as well as Midwest City and Del City fire and police units, made the annual event a huge success. The run to remember is hosted by the Tinker Chaplains and this year's theme was "Still in the Fight."
It was a record-setting 9/11 Memorial Run & Ruck for Team Tinker. 1,730 people registered to participate, over 100 volunteered, plus collaboration from every squadron and organization at Tinker, as well as Midwest City and Del City fire and police units, made the annual event a huge success. The run to remember is hosted by the Tinker Chaplains and this year’s theme was “Still in the Fight.”
As Eads moved up the ladder, it wasn’t long until senior leadership recognized his talents and asked him to join the Commander’s Action Group for former Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Commander Lt. Gen. Loren M. Reno (retired).
“I was kind of waiting for the requests to perform to wane after several years, but people really do seem to enjoy it,” Eads said. “Lt. Gen. Lee K. Levy II’s staff will call and the general will say, ‘John’s my guy.’ Last year I was asked to perform during the Star Spangled Salute Airshow on May 20-21.
“It was awesome! It is by the grace of God I go up there and do what I was trained to do.”
Eads has two daughters, Olivia, age 15 and Leia, age 11. Eads and his wife, Carissa, met while they were performing volunteer work in October of 2013.
The family is active in Jedi OKC, an Oklahoma City-based Star Wars fan and collectors club. They enjoy volunteering for the club and other nonprofits while they pursue their passion for community service and cosplay. Cosplay is a hobby where people called cosplayers dress in costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character.
Eads recently won $500 at a local auto dealership that had a Star Wars’ promotion by entering the competition dressed as the evil Kylo Ren. He has also donned the uniform of a Star Wars’ Stormtrooper and Hans Solo, as well as Superman and various other super heroes to raise money for charity and attend and perform at science fiction conventions.
“Performing has been a really neat opportunity for a non-fancy person to go and do a lot of fancy things,” Eads said. “God works if you let him and we are blessed.”
Eads said his Team Tinker members, co-workers, supervisors and friends have always been very supportive, except when it comes to singing karaoke.
“My friends hate me at karaoke,” he said, laughing. “Singing is about communicating and connecting with your audience.”