'Biggest performance of my life:' Pensacola singer performs at Serena Williams' wedding

Troy Moon
Pensacola News Journal
Pensacola's Dewayne Crocker Jr. performed at Serena Williams' wedding on Thursday in New Orleans.

It was nerve-wracking enough for Pensacola's Dewayne Crocker Jr. to sing at tennis legend Serena Williams' wedding on Thursday.

But when Beyonce is in the crowd, that's a whole different level of anxiety for any mortal singer.

"When I saw Beyonce there, I almost fainted,'' Crocker, 21, said on Monday. "She is the epitome of perfection. I was shaking. Just imagine singing in front of Beyonce."

Crocker, an Escambia High School alumnus, performed three songs at the wedding of Williams and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian Thursday in New Orleans, in front of 200 family members and guests. Crocker was hired in February by a wedding production group to perform at the wedding, but didn't find out whose wedding it was until he arrived in New Orleans.

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But during a soundcheck before the wedding, he saw the tennis great walking around, surveying all of the activities.

"I thought, 'What is she doing here?'" Crocker said. "That's when I realized it was her wedding." 

Crocker said he was told he was found online by the wedding production company, which was searching for a singer who could handle the songs Williams wanted to be sung at the star-studded wedding.

Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian, seen here at a New York City gala on May 1, 2017. Pensacola's Dewayne Crocker Jr. sang at the tennis legend's wedding Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017.

He performed "Let's Get Married,'' by Jagged Edge; "Endless Love,'' made famous by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie and the Bill Withers' classic "Lean on Me."

Guests at the wedding included Williams' sister, tennis star Venus Williams, as well as Kim Kardashian, actress Eva Longoria and singer Ciara, as well as many other artists and athletes.

"It was the biggest performance of my life,'' Crocker said."Even bigger than 2015."

That's the year Crocker won BET Network's "Race to the Stage" competition, beating out 15,000 other entrants in a contest to find great undiscovered gospel talent.

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"That was big for me,'' he said of the BET win. "But the wedding — just knowing who was there and all the talent that I was singing in front of. It was beyond anything I could have imagined."

Crocker said he had to give up his phone before the wedding — the couple didn't want unauthorized wedding photos leaked — and had to sign a confidentially agreement limiting what wedding details he could discuss.

He began singing at area churches at age 5, but didn't become serious about his musical future until winning a local talent show at age 13. Currently, he is majoring music at a local college. (He didn't want to name the school, because he didn't want people harassing him at school.)

"Serena was lovely and one of the most humble people you could meet,'' he said. "She just looked beautiful. ... So did Beyonce, but this was Serena's day."

For more information on Dewayne  Crocker Jr., go to his Facebook page or dewaynecrockerjr.net.

Troy Moon can be reached at tmoon@pnj.com and 850-435-8541.