In 1996, during an overseas assignment in Dakar, Senegal, Blocker started playing covers with a pianist from Scotland, a guitarist from Canada, and an American Peace Corps doctor, also on guitar.
The band’s reception in the rural town of Soroti was lukewarm -- a departure from their raucous weekly performances back in the capital.
Blocker knew how to connect with the audience in Soroti because that’s how the CIA trains all of its operations officers – clandestine agents who work undercover to gather intelligence. The difference, of course, is that most of those skilled operators work in quiet bars or roadside motel rooms – not singing live before scores of adoring fans.
Blocker, who recently became an ABC News contributor, spent 32 years in the intelligence community, first as an analyst with the Air Force and then in the CIA’s clandestine service as an operations officer, Chief of Station, and Chief of Africa Division, traversing European capitals and African outposts alike. His job, in his words, “was to spot, assess, develop, and recruit spies to help keep our nation safe.
When Blocker arrived shortly thereafter, Logan noticed him in the audience at Bubbles O’Leary’s mouthing the lyrics to some of their tunes and invited him to jam with them. Meanwhile, the band – made up of Logan, two Ugandans, and two Congolese – had no idea their frontman was living and working undercover as a veteran intelligence officer. His official cover was an employee with the State Department assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kampala. Logan claims to have had “a hunch” Blocker had a secret job in Uganda, but nearly two decades later he was surprised to learn his lead singer was a highly-trained American intelligence official.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dark 'Joker' wins top Venice Film Festival prizeTodd Phillips' dark comic book film 'Joker' won the Golden Lion Award at the 76th Venice International Film Festival on Saturday and cemented its place as a legitimate contender for the rest of the awards season.
Read more »
Ex-spy publishing book about undercover exploits without OK from CIASome former CIA agents question the veracity of 'Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA,' by Amaryllis Fox, which hits stores in October.
Read more »
Jamie Campbell Bower is here to tell you 'It Gets Better'We talk to the the actor and lead singer of Counterfeit (Jamiebower) about his band's changing sound, mental health, and his new role in the 'Game of Thrones' prequel.
Read more »
Sacha Baron Cohen on Dramatic 'The Spy' Turn and 'Pitching Comic Alternatives to Every Line'The six-part Netflix series tells the real-life story of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, who goes undercover in 1960s Syria.
Read more »
Chester Bennington's Widow Talinda Announces EngagementChester Bennington's Widow Talinda Announces Engagement to Her ''Angel on Earth''
Read more »