Beyoncés BGA Banjo Bombshell

By Anna Pile

Beyoncé, the incredibly successful Texas native, has just released her newest album: Cowboy Carter. Even just a few days after its release, the entire album is rapidly becoming one of the most popular this year, with its not-so-subtle allusions to Beyoncé’s treatment in the country music industry. Beyoncé also elevates the album with talented features and covers of some of the most influential songs of all time. These covers are then made even more powerful with lyric changes and subversions that are utilized to show Beyoncé’s perspective on injustices in both the past and present day. 

This is why BGA is excited to exclusively announce​​, with the help of The Echo, that there was one member of the BGA faculty who was invited to be a part of this incredible album. Mr. Lassell, BGA’s music maestro with almost twenty years of teaching experience, has come forward as the vital banjo player at the beginning of the song “Texas Hold ‘Em,” one the biggest hits from the album. In an exclusive interview, Mr. Lassell said “What?” before divulging all the news we now know. 

For example, Mr. Lassell has confided that Beyoncé reached out to him personally after hearing his work at the BGA Middle School Holiday Program last year. He also told us about the experience of seeing Beyoncé in person for the first time and shaking her hand: “I told her ‘Could you stop bothering me? I’ve got students to deal with.'” It is impressive to know that our faculty are truly the best of the best and have worked in the highest levels in their fields. Mr. Lassell is set to go on tour with the star in April and will unfortunately be missing some classes to fit the schedule. This time he will be a solo trumpet who follows Beyoncé as she strides around the stage, so please go and support him if you can! 

This revelation comes just a few months after Ms. Snider was reportedly spotted live in Las Vegas playing piano for Adele at Caesars Palace, and just last year, Ms. Wallace was allegedly called to voice Lisa Simpson for an episode after the main actress caught strep throat. It is clear that BGA is slowly becoming a hotspot for celebrities looking for talent, and we can continue to see our faculty in the spotlight for many years to come.