Nearly 249 years have passed since the Continental Congress established the United States Navy. While many aspects of the Navy have evolved over time, the core mission remains unchanged: to safeguard America and keep the seas open and free.

Ask any military veteran, and they will undoubtedly speak of the importance of traditions and the efforts made to uphold them. The Navy Sea Chanters exemplify this commitment as they actively endeavor to uphold and preserve the longstanding traditions of the Naval service through music.

Based in Washington D.C. and established in 1956, the Navy Sea Chanters aim to connect the U.S. Navy with the civilian community by offering a repertoire that ranges from traditional naval tunes to contemporary classics. The Sea Chanters, one of six distinct ensembles within the Navy Band, serves as the Navy’s official chorus

Sea chanteys originally served the practical purpose of keeping sailors in sync during physically demanding tasks such as hoisting sails. Today, they foster a connection between the Navy and the public.

Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Bransford has been a member of the Navy Sea Chanters since 2004, embarking on global tours that have included two notable performances during presidential inaugurations.

“A lot of people are not aware that we exist, we perform everything from sea chanties to modern day hits," Bransford said. "We do a lot of public relations, presidential functions, military funerals and serving our veterans.” 

“It’s not just about art, its art with a purpose,” said Bransford. “We want to show diversity in all performances, we want to show all of the culture that makes up this nation. We pull from all different types of backgrounds for our shows.”

Becoming a member of the Sea Chanters involves undergoing several rounds of auditions and a proficiency in reading sheet music.

“We start off with a blind audition, it can be pretty intimidating at first, but by the end of the process we like to see the performers personality come out,” Bransford said. "We look for things like stage presence and how well they interact with other band members.”

The entire process can take up to three rounds.

The Sea Chanters are on a national tour that extends until March 25 and covers five different states.

Each year the various ensembles of the Navy Band undertake tours across various regions of the country to reach areas that may not have previously experienced their performances. The tour serves as an avenue for the Navy Band to attract new members to join their ensembles. All concerts are free and open to the public.