Sherwood tribute to honor fallen soldiers

A popular choir that started in Odessa in the 1960s will come together again to honor America's birthday and soldiers.

Sherwood Baptist Church has scheduled a Big Star Spangled Banner Concert from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. today at Sherwood Baptist, across from Hood Junior High on 42nd Street. A second event is scheduled 10 a.m. to noon Sunday at the church.

The special event is a reunion of the Sherwood Singers, which was a popular choir from the church featuring young people who started performing years ago.

The reunion is drawing performers from all over the country. Lyndal Bingham, the original director of the group, reassembled the choir.

The group made it big when they performed for the 1968 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas, and after their performance, keynote speaker Paul Harvey heaped a lot of praise on them.

Today's concert is a memorial tribute to the flag and to American soldiers, including Kris Higdon, an Odessan killed May 22, 2007, in Taji, Iraq, when his vehicle convoy struck an improvised explosive device. Higdon's father will be part of the honor guard at the service.

Sunday's concert will be slightly different but still a tribute. That concert will also feature popular 1960s tunes. More than 150 former members of the group will perform at the free event that is open to the public.