The Herald-Zeitung

SAN ANTONIO — Donald Braswell, known by many as a finalist in last season’s “America’s Got Talent,” competition will headline a local charity concert June 7.

The benefit — for SAMMinistries of San Antonio — is the second such event in six months for the former professional opera singer who lives in the southwestern part of Comal County.

In January, Braswell’s performance helped raised nearly $15,000 for the area charity that serves the homeless, organizers said.

“I researched several charities and was impressed with how much of their funding goes toward the homeless, and how little goes toward administrative costs,” Braswell said. “I am excited to help SAMMinistries and am dedicating myself to try do about four concerts a year in — and for — this community.”

Once known and praised for his leading tenor roles as Cavaradosi in Tosca, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, the former shining star of the operatic world was convinced his career was over following a 1995 incident when a car struck the bicycle he was riding during a break from a show in Wales.

Doctors later told him the resulting injuries had severely damaged his ability to speak and had, in all likelihood, destroyed his singing voice.

The struggle to fully regain his talent and confidence would take more than a decade, but Braswell never gave up on his Christian faith or his singing abilities.

“Following the accident, I know I was depressed. For a long time, I couldn’t even leave my apartment,” said the Juilliard graduate and former protégé of Franco Corelli — known as the Prince of Tenors.

“But that all changed and I snapped out of it as soon as I looked into the eyes of my newly-born daughter,” Braswell said. “It wasn’t all about me anymore.”

Eventually, his journey carried itself across a wooden stage as viewers watched him face the three judges on “America’s Got Talent” for the first time.

Although initially written off by a hostile crowd — known as the fourth judge — after announcing he would be singing Josh Groban’s “You Lift Me Up,” it took Braswell only 90 seconds to flip the audience from one of scattered jeering to one of all-out cheering.

In later rounds, he was eliminated by the judges — only to be reinstated when viewers voted him back onto the show after one of the top 20 finalists was forced to pull out.

Eventually, Braswell took fourth place in the contest, and has since won first place in the hearts of millions of fans.

“I’m the father of three girls and I could very easily be homeless if people did not appreciate my work, which is another reason why I am doing the SAMMinistries concerts,” he said.

The Braswell Family Singers concert, “Look At Me,” is scheduled at 3:30 p.m. next Sunday at Concordia Lutheran Church, 16801 Huebner Road, which is at the intersection of Huebner and Loop 1604.

The concert’s title comes from the name of a song Braswell composed and performed at the January concert. Since then, it has become the signature song for SAMMinistries, officials said.

Apart from the area’s perhaps most famous singer, the Braswell Family Singers include his parents, former Broadway performers Jane and Don Sr., as well as sister, Adrienne, and his three daughters.

“SAMMinistries operates incredible facilities to help people and families who are trying to overcome horrible obstacles in their lives,” Braswell said. “I invite everyone to attend this beautiful event. I promise my family and I will entertain and overwhelm you with joy at this concert.”

Navarra Williams, president and CEO of SAMMinistries said she is “extremely proud that Don Braswell has once again blessed our organization and selected us to be the beneficiary of his tremendous talents.”

“For those who missed his last performance on our behalf, now is your chance to hear Don and members of his family as they bring the house down — again,” she said in a news release.

Braswell’s popularity has remained strong since his extended run on national television.

He appeared at the Las Vegas Hilton before a sold-out audience in February, and a month later, he headlined a live PBS television special concert in Detroit, again before a sold-out audience.

This spring, Braswell, who plans to release an inspirationally based album of original music in the next couple of months, also hosted a concert in Asheville, N.C., and was scheduled this weekend to perform at a celebrity concert to raise money for national orphanages in Brea, Calif.

Locally, he is scheduled to perform as a soloist in a June 27 concert with the Kerrville Symphony of the Hills at the Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater.

There is also a possibility of hosting a second PBS national special concert later this year, he said.

“I am a Christian and have no problem telling people that, but I never push my beliefs on others,” Braswell said. “When God took away my voice and made me silent — he gave me perspective by turning off the light and letting me sit in the dark for awhile.

“When the light came back on, he really opened up my eyes — and I am not going to waste this second opportunity. I plan to continue to do what I can to help others in any way I can.”