Big River Cast

Elder, Doctor John P. Crocker, Jr., is a native of Compton, California ., and is an acclaimed Bass Soloist, Choral Music Professor, Vocal Coach, Music Educator and an Ordained Minister. He is recent graduate of The Elbon Solutions College of Ministry in Apple Valley, California where he earned his Doctorate in Sacred Music. John is also a graduate of Utah State University and holds a Master's degree in Choral Music Education. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Operatic Voice from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. John is also no newcomer to vocal performance and musical theatre. Some of his stage credits include "Love Is Where You Find It," "Paul Robeson- A One Man Show," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Magic Tricks," Guys and Dolls” and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", to name a few. He is most proud of his portrayal of Jim, the runaway slave, in the musical "Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." John has had the opportunity to play this role five separate times. Most recently, John was cast as Homer Smith in The Palmdale City Player’s presentation of “The Lilies of The Field.” This is the famous story for which Sidney Poitier won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1963. John has been Vocal Music Director for Highland High School in Palmdale, California for the past eleven years. Highland High School has been designated as a California Distinguished School. From 2009-2012, John was the Vocal Music Director for William J. Pete Knight High School in East Palmdale, California. He was the fifth Vocal Music Director in the School’s eight year history. Prior to his assignment at Pete Knight, John was The Vocal Music Instructor for Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California for seven years. During this time, The AVHS Travel Ensemble, a group comprised of 24-50 of the most advanced vocalists on campus, performed in some of the most prestigious Concert Halls and Venus the world has to offer. Some of these venues included: The World Famous Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 2002. The group was awarded Second Place in The Inner Mountain High School Choral Festival-A Salute to Youth; made their World Debut in New York’s World Famous Carnegie Hall on June 29, 2003: Crowned The Number Four Ranked Vocal Music Ensemble in America for the 2004-2005 School Year by Music Festivals International; Performed live from The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Christmas Eve 2005, 2006 and 2008 at The Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration. This live broadcast is yearly aired on PBS and is viewed in over 8 million homes state wide and re-broadcast nationally to over 30 million viewers: Placed Second or Silver in The Annual Heritage USA Music Festival in Anaheim, California in April of 2006 and May 2008. Mr. Crocker was also selected by his peers as site Teacher of The Year for Antelope Valley High School for the 2006- 2007 School Year for The Antelope Valley Union High School District. John is also the former and last Director of The Palmdale Youth and Community Choirs. The Palmdale Community Choir made its world debut in Carnegie Hall on Memorial Day 2005 performing The John Rutter Requiem Mass. Prior to coming to The Antelope Valley Union High School District, John taught Vocal Music at Manuel Dominguez High School in the Compton Unified School District. The DHS Singers also performed in The World Famous Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah at The 2001 Inner-Mountain Choral Festival-A salute to Youth. This Festival was dedicated to the memory of Mr. Jester Hairston, one of the modern day Fathers of The Spiritual. The Late Moses Hogan was the guest Conductor. John’s Master Teacher, Dr. Wilard Kesling, Head of Choral Music Studies at The University of Florida, was the organizer of this event through Classic Concerts International. John has also taught Junior High School Mathematics and Music to kindergarten through eighth grades in Compton, California at Our Lady of Victory Catholic School. He is the past Cantor for the English-speaking mass for Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. He is also the Former Minister of Music for The Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church where the late Reverend Wimberly Watson was Pastor. John held this position for over four years during Pastor Watson’s tenure. John is the former Choral Music Director for The Lancaster Seventh Day Adventist Church, Dr. Ed Sammons Pastor. John is also a former Praise and Worship Team Leader and Director of Choirs for Living Praise Christian Center (LPCC) in Palmdale, California, Dr. Fred L. Hodge Jr., Pastor. Prior to this assignment, he severed as one of seven presiding Elders at The Living Stone Cathedral of Worship in Littlerock, California where Bishop Henry W. Hearns was the Senior Pastor. He faithfully served this congregation for six years. John has been happily married for twenty-eight years to his high-school sweetheart, the former Sheree Denise Williams. They are the proud parents of five children: John III, TaMyra Ja’Nice, Faith Kaliyah, Mariah Lelani and Isaiah Hezekiah Robert Crocker.