Wow - what a start we have had to 2015 so far. First thanks for all the LIKES and SHARES on Facebook for the Mark Candelaria sings the National Anthem at the World Champion SF Giants Spring Training Game in front of 12,000 at Scottsdale Stadium this past Thursday afternoon! What a rush that was.


So many asked how I got that gig? I'm not really sure how it all started but I have always wanted to sing the National Anthem. First of all - needless to say, I LOVE our country and I am always so proud of those who have given to this country including my father, Donald, who is an US Army Veteran and along with my Mom whom is a first generation immigrant from East Prussia, Germany, whom my father met while serving in Germany and later married here in the US. My mother taught herself English and went on to get her US Citizenship. So the National Anthem means a lot to me and to sing it before my Mom and Dad and Isabel and her mother, and my Candelaria Design Staff and my fellow Scottsdale Charros meant a lot!


Ok back to how I came to sing on Thursday.... with all of my desire to sing this song, I saw an email calling for auditions to sing the National Anthem for the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. I signed up and was assigned my lucky number 44. I sang more in the Frank Sinatra style and did well but not well enough to make the cut. I remember getting the email a few weeks later saying I was not chosen, so it was back to architecture!

Well late last year, I received an email from Scottsdale Stadium asking if I would be interested in signing. They knew me from all of Scottsdale Charro work at the stadium, and apparently they were given my video so they could fill their Spring Training game schedule. Of course I couldn't resist! This would actually be better with the smaller venue and in the home of my Scottsdale Charros.

Yes, the adrenaline was flowing but it's a quick song and once I got started it was just me singing the song I had been singing since I was a little boy. No worries forgetting the words that's for sure. Thanks to all of you who came to hear me play and even those that went to the wrong stadium and game to hear me! There were a few of those too! It was a great day! Thanks to my director and producer of my show SKETCH - Architainment coming to The Design Network this spring for filming the event! Great job!




Meanwhile, we were honored to also be a part of upgrading the Charro Lodge sundeck with the amazing work and materials from Rob Myer and Dayna Bigelow of Telluride Natural Stone and the metals from Creative Metals, and the coordination and inspiration of my Project Manager, Mathew Grove! What a difference in look and feel and what a nice tie in to our front entry Charro Lodge facade that this same team did two years ago! Fantastic and thank you so much on behalf of all of the Scottsdale Charros!