Ed Sheeran surprises Florida high school band with guitars, concert tickets

TAMPA, Fla. — British singer Ed Sheeran popped in on some Florida high school band students on Friday, playing an impromptu mini-concert and handing out tickets to a show that night.

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Sheeran, 32, also handed out free guitars while visiting students at Tampa’s Middleton and Blake high schools, WFLA-TV reported.

Hillsborough County Public Schools posted a video on Facebook that showed the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter walking into the marching band’s room at Middleton, smiling and carrying a guitar.

“I thought I’d play some songs for you,” Sheeran, who was appearing at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall that night, told the students. “I’ve also brought some guitars to give to you guys for the music department.”

Middleton band members were learning Sheeran’s hit, “Eyes Closed” and remained focused despite the star singer’s appearance, WSVN-TV reported.

“I couldn’t really think too much about what’s happening because we had to focus on the song we were playing,” Middleton student Ethan Van Name told WFTS-TV. “But then once we finished, I was like, ‘That’s Ed Sheeran in our band room.’”

“As soon as the horns went down, everybody just started freaking out,” band member Manuel Corona told the television station. “And I myself was just asking, like, ‘Is that really him?’ Like, ‘Is that actually him? Or is that just someone that looks like him?’ Like, is just, like, completely unbelievable. Like, shock all around?”

Sheeran, who performed the following night at Raymond James Stadium, also gave the students free tickets to his show, according to WFLA.

The Middleton band posted about Sheeran’s visit on Instagram, showing the singer posing for photographs and taking selfies with students and teachers, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

“We love when very special guests visit our band room!” the post read. “Welcome to the mighty land of the tigers, Ed Sheeran.”

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