On May 13, 2020, Dr. Moore wrote on Facebook:
“In 1973, I was music director of the Sounds of America, 125 high school and college students from the region. I was 23 years old and I sing a solo during the last few minutes of this video clip.”
The clip is from a July 4, 1973 broadcast on WBTV. The clip was posted to YouTube’s Sounds0fAmerica channel with this note:
“The first 7 minutes or so of the 1973 WBTV Independence Day Special that featured the Sounds of America and the WBTV personalities of that time. “Our Country Tis of Thee” is a choral pageant written by Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz. This show won an Emmy that year for best locally produced program. John Burchette, who produced the special, is the last surviving SOA advisor and he provided this rare copy for the reunion. Cheesy and innocent and a hoot to watch!”
The Observer’s Kays Gary wrote about Sounds of America earlier in 1973. His column is here.
The video below combines the solo from 1973 with a rendition of “God Bless America” opened and directed by Dr. Moore during a 2010 Sounds of America reunion in 2010. Excerpts from SOA Our Country Tis of Thee 1973.m4v (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA2-Bhbk_g4) and SOA2010sing.m4v (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmyz3LprggY)