Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus
The Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus is a non-profit boys’ choir based in Tucson, founded in 1939 by Eduardo Caso. Its mission is to provide music education and social development for Tucson youth ages 6 to 21. Today about 150 boys belong to the chorus, and touring groups of 30 boys perform a wide range of music, including folk, Western, Mexican, Christmas carols, spirituals, pop, classical, Broadway tunes, and patriotic songs. They sometimes perform rope tricks as part of their shows.
The chorus performs locally in Tucson from October to May, and also tours nationally and internationally. They have appeared on television and radio, performed with symphony orchestras and arts organizations, and released albums on TABC Records as well as with Capitol Records, United Artists, and C.P. MacGregor. They often headline concerts at major venues and events.
Eduardo Caso started the group in 1939, originally called “Caso’s Singing Cowboys,” with eight boys who wore Levi’s and cowboy hats and performed rope tricks. The choir gained fame with appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and a White House performance in 1963, and by 1966 had given more than 2,000 concerts. In 1980, Dr. Julian Ackerley became director, expanding membership and broadening collaborations with national arts organizations and major venues.
The organization now has five levels: Cadet Choir (youngest, ages 6+), Training Chorus (ages 8–11), TowneSingers (intermediate, local), Touring Chorus (30 boys on national/international tours), and the Tucson Arizona Young Men’s Ensemble (ages 15–21). An Alumni Group serves former members. All members are Tucson residents. Applicants are admitted based on pitch matching; the program teaches singing, music reading, and social etiquette, and students must maintain at least a B average. The choir also works with Tucson public schools to help touring boys catch up on missed schoolwork.
Notable former members include John Denver, actor George Chakiris, and Peter Ronstadt. The chorus operates with an annual budget around $700,000. Tuition (as of 2012) was about $550 for Training Chorus and $800 for Touring Chorus, with families fundraising for scholarships and overseas tours. The group has earned honors such as the National Certificate of Award of Merit (1962) and the Governor’s Arts Award (1966), and was Grand Marshal of the Tucson Rodeo Parade in 2012. In 2017, the chorus added neighborhood groups to help more boys rehearse close to home.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:52 (CET).