Wake-up for Discovery Mission: Lift Evr'y Voice and Sing

When the New Galveston Heritage Chorale went into the recording studio two years ago, director Izola Collins said she was just looking to make sure its voices of praise were preserved.

No, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” didn’t make it to any Billboard Top 20 list, but the spiritual often referred to as the black national anthem did have a universal audience Wednesday morning.

It was the wake-up call for the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery.

The song, recorded at Galveston DLJ Studios in 2004, was played at the request of mission specialist Stephanie Wilson.

Wilson is a member of the chorale.

Collins had no idea the group’s resident astronaut had made the request until a phone call came early Wednesday morning from the husband of a local pastor.

At 4 a.m., it was hard to hear over the phone what was being broadcast on TV. But morning newscasts played portions of the wake-up call.

“I feel so very grateful to have my choir singing in space,” said Collins.

She found the music appropriate.

“It’s a message of hope, which is what space travel is all about,” said Collins.

Word quickly spread among chorale members — and beyond.

“I’ve been calling people all day today telling them,” said Janice Stanton, one of the group’s 30 members. “I can’t hide my excitement. I was in awe.”

Wilson agreed, telling Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center the tune was “near and dear to my heart.”

“Particularly after the day of our nation’s independence, it’s very fitting because it reminds us that anyone and everyone can participate in the space program,” said Wilson, who is on her first trip in orbit.

Wake-up calls are a long-standing tradition of the NASA program. Each day during the mission, flight controllers in Mission Control greet the crew with an appropriate musical interlude.

On Wednesday, the New Galveston Heritage Chorale joined the likes of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, gospel singer Kirk Franklin, the Beach Boys and Carl Douglas of “Kung Fu Fighting” fame.

In the coming days artists such as Elton John, Coldplay and U2 will serve wake up Discovery’s crew. Mission pilot Mark Kelly has requested “I Have A Dream” by 1970s supergroup ABBA.