In October 2023 “Larry’s Country Diner” welcomed The Texas Tenors, a three-time Emmy Award-winning country and classical crossover group made up of country singer JC Fisher, classical singer Marcus Collins and opera singer John Hagen.
Collins began singing at the age of four and began emulating his favorite radio artists like Garth Brooks and George Michael before training classically in college. Along with numerous talent shows, fairs and cruise ships, Marcus has also performed in New York City with the cast of ‘Hairspray,” Off-Broadway’s “Altar Boyz” as Matthew, in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and as Jinx in “Forever Plaid.”
Beyond music he has worked extensively as an actor with appearances in more than 100 episodes of network television, with recurring roles on “One Life To Live” and “As The World Turns,” and in 25 films, including “P.S. I Love You,” “Across the Universe,” “30 Rock,” “Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles” and “Sex and the City.” He’s been in numerous commercials and is the lead character in the video game “Alone in the Dark.”
Hagen has been described as “astonishing… a superb tenor of deep musicality” making his Lincoln Center debut in New York City in Teatro Grattacielo’s mounting of Mascagni’s “Gulglielmo Ratcliff.” Hagen created three tenor roles in the world premiere of “The Lost Dauphane” for Pamiro Opera airing on PBS.
Hagan has performed a vast array of operatic roles ranging from Alfredo in “La Traviata” to the title role of “Otello” for Cleveland Opera on tour. His favorite Broadway roles include Billy Bigelow in “Carousel” and “Che in Evita.” He has received many awards and accolades throughout his career, including finalist in the New Jersey Opera Association of Verismo Opera competition held at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera Auditions Regional Finalist, and winner of numerous competitions mounted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
The tenor is highly regarded for his performances of the Verdi Requiem and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 performing these works with more than a dozen symphonies including the Austin, Corpus Christi, Omaha, Nebraska and Cedar Rapids Symphonies. He has taught voice and vocal pedagogy at Wartburg College and at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa.
Fisher has entertained audiences around the world for the better part of two decades. In high school, he had a passion for sports and also enjoyed singing in church. He discovered a deeper love of singing at Wichita State University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music.
He performed various roles including Rodolfo in “La Boheme,” Tamino in “The Magic Flute,” Ernesto in “Don Pasquale,” Henrick in “A Little Night Music” and was even Miss America’s duet partner at the 1997 Miss Kansas Pageant.
After college, Fisher traveled to Lucca, Italy, where he sang in the Puccini festival under the direction of acclaimed Italian maestro Lorenzo Malfatti.
His most memorable performance, though, turned out to be from college where he found the young woman who would become his wife. Jennifer Vannatta, Miss Kansas 1998, married JC in 2004. They have three children – Jackson, Jenson and Jennings.
Fisher created a home base in Katy, Texas, before sailing the high seas aboard more than 75 cruise ships worldwide with his one-man show. This allowed him to create a program with many different genres of music and world class arrangements that eventually led to his idea of forming The Texas Tenors with his two best friends.
Fisher, Hagan and Collins formed The Texas Tenors in 2009 and that same year finished at No. 4 in the fourth season of “America’s Got Talent,” making them the highest ranking vocal group in the show’s history.
In 2013, The trio filmed their first PBS special with The Phoenix Symphony, performing songs from their second album, “You Should Dream.” Along with being one of only two acts from “America’s Got Talent” to star in their own television special for PBS, The Texas Tenors achieved another milestone in 2014 when they were honored with five Emmy Awards nominations and three wins for the self-produced special.
In August 2017, The Texas Tenors premiered their second PBS special. In 2018, the trio released “A Collection of Broadway & American Classics” exclusively at their live concerts and through their website at the request of their fan club. Without distribution or a national campaign, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums Chart and spent 10 weeks in the Top 10.
They were named Billboard Magazine’s No. 10 Classical Artist in the World for 2019. Texas Tenors have amassed a huge fan base worldwide with more than half a million followers on social media and more than 20 million views on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Their impressive live ticket sales as tracked by PollStar proved them to be the most successful touring group in the history of “America’s Got Talent.” With nearly 2,000 concerts at performing arts centers, casinos, symphony halls, outdoor festivals and major corporate events, The Texas Tenors have shown they truly possess that rare, ever sought-after quality – mass appeal.
As consummate professionals these three friends with a simple All-American dream have proven their impact will be long lasting as their popularity continues to grow.