By Tony Huerta

Last week, I was the engineer that mixed the The Association of International Champions (AIC) concert at the Axis Theater in Las Vegas. This week, I taught a bunch of high school kids, college kids, and educators a class called "Music Technology and Emotion" at A Cappella University, which was hosted at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, WI. I was kind of nervous getting in front of high school kids and talking about emotion.

How was I going to show them that tears, anger, love, compassion, loss, and happiness could all be the emotions that drive you to sing a song? How was this going to go over? I cried while describing my experience on the third season of "The Sing-Off" with Urban Method from our performance of "All of the Lights."

"All of the Lights" by Urban Method on 'The Sing-Off'

But, I ended my class by showing them a video of one the most heartfelt performances I've seen in a long time. This performance made me cry when I saw it live at the Barbershop Harmony Society 2017 International Convention last week.

If you want to know what it feels like to leave everything on stage and perform with your full heart, watch this -- waiting until 3:10 is worth it! Thank you, Signature Quartet for inspiring me, showing young vocalists what it truly means to show your feelings on stage and that it's all right, and for giving us the gift of emotion and love in your performance!

Signature Quartet at the 2017 Barbershop Harmony Society International Convention

I will never forget Derek, the 16-year-old high school kid who lost his father to suicide two months ago. He watched this video and cried with us all. Life is hard, especially when you lose your father or mother. Two other kids in the room had lost a parent in the last two weeks.

Your performance made these kids realize that their losses were hard. But it also made them realize that they could use music to heal the soul and that a group of singers around them could help comfort them when they hurt.

I cry as I write this, and thank you! The kids thank you for showing them that it's OK to show emotion to the world -- and on stage.

My true and honest love to you guys!

-Tony Huerta
Take 6 Engineer
Urban Method - NBC's "The Sing-Off"

Signature Quartet later responded

Will Rodriguez said, "I cry as I read this. These words are heartwrenching, yet inspirational. We love you for sharing this with us brother! Thank you for opening yourself up to do so. I pray that we meet someday real soon! Please send our love to the kids. Let them know Signature loves them!"

Daniel Cochran said, "Your words this morning were absolutely wonderful. I'm so humbled that I'm able to touch so many people. It's been one of the things I've wanted to do my whole life. Thank you for sharing your story. It would be awesome to sing for you someday live. Who knows! I do believe in divine order so until then brother, again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."


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