This year’s Pioneer Day guests, the King’s Singers, are longtime friends of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and have been coming to perform with them in Salt Lake City for over 20 years. The musical camaraderie between the two groups is second to none, which makes Saturday night’s touching tribute all the more bittersweet.

Near the end of the second and final concert, announcer Lloyd Newell entered the Conference Center stage and stood next to King’s Singers member David Hurley. Newell then spoke about the special friendship between the Choir and the King’s Singers and said, “Tonight, I am sad to say, will be his last performance in the United States as a member of the King’s Singers. Now, we all wish David hadn’t decided to retire, but he has. It seems he wants to spend a little less time on the airlines that have transported him to every corner of this globe. He’s indicated he’d like to sleep in his own bed more often, make his own breakfast from time to time, and maybe finally get that dog he has long dreamed of having.”

Newell added, “It would take from now until well past midnight to list all the countries and concert halls where David has performed, and all the songs he has performed on those stages—out of the roughly 2,000 that make up the King’s Singers’ repertoire! … But the reason I am here is to speak for everyone on this stage and in this beautiful Conference Center as we bid you a fond farewell, as we thank you for the gifts and talents that you have shared so freely, and as we say to you, with all the love and affection we have for you, God be with you till we meet again.”

Best of luck in your future endeavors, dear friend.