If you’re of a certain age, you might remember the tune about men standing on the corner watching all the girls go by. That song may well have been inspired by groups of young men harmonizing a cappella on city sidewalks—just like the performers in Street Corner Symphony, who will close out Community Concerts of the Grand Valley’s 80th season on May 17 at the Avalon Theatre.

Members of the group—Mark McLemore, Armand Hutton, Manny Houston, Jared Pruzan and Sean Murphy—were contestants on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” Their blend of tenor, baritone and bass brings new life to beloved hits by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Motown and more. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and audience participation is encouraged. 

“Motown and R&B hits will have you out of your seats dancing and singing along,” said Hutton.

Formed in 2010 by Jeremy Lister at the request of “The Sing-Off” producers, Nashville-born Street Corner Symphony has gone through a few lineup changes, but their love of harmonizing and connecting with audiences remains constant. 

“We love harmonizing with each other and we have a lot of fun on stage,” Hutton said. 

And they encourage you to have fun right along with them.

Over the years, the group has drawn from the tight-knit a cappella community to bring in top vocalists when others moved on. All current members have performed with other a cappella groups and bring a wealth of talent and experience.

In 2017, the group was invited to tour in Africa, adding to their musical knowledge by connecting and singing with young African musicians. It was one of the highlights of their career. 

None of the current members has visited Grand Junction before. 

“We are excited to explore the area and spend a day here and meet the fine people of Grand Junction!” said one member.

The group agrees the worst part of touring is a tie between too much fast food and missing their families. But those drawbacks are outweighed by the joy of meeting new people, discovering new places and sharing music wherever they go—like the time they performed an impromptu concert at the base of Mount Rushmore during their 2024 tour.

After the show, the group enjoys meeting fans at the merch table and hearing stories from concertgoers.

“We love bringing a smile to people’s faces and we really enjoy being on stage with each other,” said Hutton. 

Street Corner Symphony performs May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre, 645 Main St. in Grand Junction. Tickets are $45 if available, and can be purchased in person at the Avalon box office (open Thursday through Saturday, 12-6 p.m.) or by calling 970-263-5757.

This performance marks the finale of Community Concerts of the Grand Valley’s 80th season—but the music doesn’t stop there.

See the 2025-2026 lineup at CommunityConcertsGrandValley.org or watch for it in next month’s BEACON.