Senior Master Sgt. Robert S. Harrelson is a baritone vocalist with the Singing Sergeants, The United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Additionally, he serves as the superintendent of the Singing Sergeants. A native of Boiling Springs, North Carolina, his career in the Air Force began in July 1998.
A graduate of Gardner-Webb University, Harrelson received a Bachelor of Science in biology and history in 1991. While at Gardner-Webb, he was named the outstanding male graduate and won the school's biology award. He attended Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, from 1991-92, where he began work on a Master of Arts in biology. From 1995-97, Harrelson attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he pursued a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance.
Harrelson has performed in numerous musical theatre roles including performances in "The Fantasticks," "Carousel" and "H.M.S. Pinafore." Opera roles include Sylvio, Guglielmo, Escamillo, Rocco, and the Music Meister ("Ariadne auf Naxos"). His voice teachers include Edmund Najera, Roy Samuelsen and Giorgio Tozzi. He has performed with artists such as Sylvia McNair, Frederica von Stade, Kurt Ollman and Renée Fleming.