Get ready for February. We are singing Valentines from Friday through Monday, 11, 12, 13, and 14 February. If you have not signed up yet, get with Rich Spencer and do so. YOU MUST BELIEVE ME, IT WILL BE ONE OF THE FUNNIST TIMES YOU HAVE EVER HAD SINGING. When you see the shock on the person’s face and then the mortification and then the emotional tears, it will tear you up. By the end of the day you will be looking forward to next year. Do three things: sign up to sing, distribute the word that we are doing singing valentines and get some orders placed. I’ve distributed a bunch of the tents and gotten a half a dozen orders placed. This will be a great time. Don't let it pass you by.

We had a great month in January. I like it. The chapter has real life. You can feel it. We start our meetings at 7:30 and have twenty-five to thirty members present. But the best part, we have a good portion of them coming at 6:00 to woodshed and practice as quartets. Now how many chapters start their meetings at 7:30 and the majority of the members show up an HOUR AND A HALF EARLY? We have at least one or two new groups that seem to be forming the foundation of new quartets. That’s what this chapter is all about, quartets. If you have not become involved in a quartet, now is the best time to do it. Ask three other guys if they would like to join you for an early session. Doesn’t have to be a lifetime commitment, just a couple of Mondays. Or come early by yourself. There are more and more guys coming around early. You’ll get to sing. Don’t be left behind.

And that’s not all. There are more and more members going to Denny’s for the afterglow. At the afterglow we sit down at the tables that are arranged into a long table and take turns singing as quartets. The people that you sing with will be different than you sang with at the chapter. Sometimes you get to sing in more than one quartet. And you can ask to sing with whomever you want. We now have almost as many coming to the afterglow as we have at the meeting. Not quite as many members, but a bunch.

And that’s not all either. After the afterglow, when we were at Shakey’s, some of us four or five, maybe as many as six would stand around outside and freeze our buns off while we sang tags, tags like in the good old golden city chorus days. But now we have more members staying around singing tags and it is great fun. And we are outside freezing our buns off. And the Management encourages us to stay as long as we want. But we seem to quit about midnight. But, boy, is it great fun singing those tags again.

So this is a terrific time we have on Monday. We start at 6:00 and sing until after midnight. What could be greater? I know. Let's get bigger. Bring someone to sing with you. You’ll do him a favor and you’ll be doing yourself a favor. Don’t forget, if you’re too busy to sing, you’re too busy.

Memorial for Don Richardson Feb. 2

Barbershopper Don Richardson died of heart attack Jan. 26. A memorial service will be held Wed 2 Feb at the Fairhaven Memorial cemetery at 2 pm, followed by an afterglow at his home in Irvine. Don was a long time member of the Orange, Santa Ana (now Westminster), and Orange chapters.

Singing Valentines Progress
by Rich Lewis

We are about to reach the 2/3 point in our goal of $6000.

We have two weeks left to reach that goal. We can't rely on phone-ins and responses to our 'Valentine tents'. Each of us must carry the application forms and business cards with us and engage in conversation with your neighbors, friends and those you encounter in your daily rounds of cleaners, auto repair shop, grocery clerks, etc., to get some more 'singing valentines'.

We are relying on you, the chapter member, to sell at least two more gigs. That will bring in $2000 +.

Let's focus on meeting our goal of $6000 so we may contribute $4000 this year to our Youth in Harmony and school music programs.

Yours in Harmony,
Rich Lewis

Dr. Milo Tedstrom Has a Birthday
No Band Is Needed
By Stanley Tinkle

When Doctor Milo Tedstrom celebrated his 104th birthday on November 21, his good friend Floyd “Blackie” Blackwell offered to bring his entire barbershop chapter along to provide the entertainment. All parties were intrigued by the possibilities, because Dr. Tedstrom’s life has spanned the same musical period from which we all draw our inspiration. Blackie Blackwell has enjoyed more than eight decades of musical experience, and he assured the Orange Quartet Chapter that the good Doctor would love our singing.

While its member quartets often sing in contests and gigs, the Orange Quartet Chapter does not compete or perform for pay as a group. However, it does serenade in hospitals and at special events. This event would be a public test of the quality of its singing.

Seven Chapter quartets, dressed in barbership attire of vest and black tie, were ready to perform in the beautiful foyer of the Villa Valencia residential complex, where a sizeable audience eagerly awaited the event. Doctor Tedstrom’s son and daughter opened the festivities, reminding all present that their father was the first internist in Orange County, California and since 1928 had been a pioneering influence in county hospitals.

Orange Quartet Chapter President Dave Gryvnak had limited each quartet to one song, which allowed M.C. Michael Werner to set a lively pace for the program. A parade of registered quartets, involving interlocking memberships, sang their favorite songs. It’s Magic led off with “The Last Time I Saw Henry”, and Indigo sang “On the Sunny Side of the Street”. Four For Harmony sang “I Want to Be in Chicago Town”, and The Orange Town Four sang “Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland”. Singing together as The Plaza City Serenaders, the entire chapter sang three of the best known old classics: “Honey Little Lize”, “Heart of My Heart”, and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”, directed by Paul Gutierrez. Then Fermata the Blue sang “Sentimental Journey”, Balderdash sang a special hello to a lady named Mary Lou, and California Blend ended the show with “It Had To Be You”.

Doctor Tedstrom asked for the microphone and pronounced the event “the best birthday party I’ve ever had”. Then as refreshments were served, several quartets mingled with the audience for mini-performances. One lady approached Four For Harmony and announced that although she was from Chicago and had been to the amusement park known as White City, she had never heard the song “Chicago Town” before. The group offered to let Blackie teach it to her, and she accepted.

In its decade of existence, the Orange Quartet Chapter has seen its members develop overlapping repertoires and multiple skills, with some members learning two or more parts. These abilities were brought to bear at Dr. Tedstrom’s birthday celebration, which provided the chapter with an ideal audience. If the doctor wants us back next year, the quartets will be ready.

Baby, Look at You Now!
Reaching our Under-Three Audience
By Stanley Tinkle

John Lennon is often credited with saying that life is what happens to you while you are busy making plans. It sure ‘nuf is true that you can’t slow down the passage of time by wearing a gold Rolex watch, or even one of those snazzy Mickey Mouse watches with wiggly ears. Only a child can escape the treadmill of the timepiece, and he or she does it by living in the moment. If you surprise him with something beautiful, he’ll come back to it.

After reaching the age of sixty without the benefit of grandchildren, I now approach seventy with an unexpected harvest of four of them: a boy age eight, a girl age four, and twin babies who are a month old. So far none of them knows about that strange and magical thing their grandfather does, called four-part harmony, but I’m determined that each of them will experience the fifth note, which we call the ring, while they are still young enough to wonder at it. Like a rainbow, the aurora borealis, the green flash at sunset, the distant crackle of rolling thunder, or hail on a tin roof, the ring will thrill those who witness it. They’ll want to hear it again.

On a less lofty plane, any harmony at all is a good start. Most of us heard “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” before we heard a Barber Pole Song, and if we encourage our children to find a harmony a third up from the melody, they’ll enjoy doing it. The ever-present “Happy Birthday To You” lets us float a tenor harmony on the end, when it’s most effective. Barbara and I have gotten us invited to campouts or beach parties full of kids, and they are eager to learn those songs that you and I learned at Y camp: “The Bear in Tennis Shoes”, “When I First Came To This Land”, “Jamaica Farewell”, “There’s a Hole In My Bucket” and “The Frozen Logger”.

Much later, when they have children of their own, they will discover the really important songs, as I did last week. My son and daughter-in-law were lying exhausted in shallow slumber, and Barbara was feeding baby Brian while I held baby Eric and pondered what to do with an infant who didn’t want to eat or sleep. If you can visualize Grandpa Stanley bouncing up and down on a giant beach ball with a colicky infant on his shoulder and singing “Rockabye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody”, you get the picture. Sure, I could have tried “Rockabye Baby in the Tree Top”, but I lean toward the multiple-use songs. By the time these boys are out of diapers, I hope to teach—or at least habituate them to—most of these songs:

“Baby Face”, “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby”, “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home”, “It’s a Small World”, “Toot Toot Tootsie”, “Put Your Little Foot”, “Pretty Baby”, “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, “My Baby Just Cares For Me”, “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” and “Million Dollar Baby”. We’ll add the harmony later. My wife can teach them “Baby’s Hokey Pokey” if she wants. I’m not much of a dancer. But I can sure bounce on a beach ball.

Reminiscing with a Sidewinder
Submitted by Dave Gryvnak

Unfortunately, we have been unable to track down the source for this article. If it's yours, please step forward and let us give you proper credit. Thanks.

The 1964 International Quartet Champion Tenor from the Sidewinders talks about highlights of his quartet experiences.

Recently this editor had a wonderful phone conversation with the tenor of our 1964 International Quartet Champion, Jerry Fairchild. What a delightful time we had reminiscing about one of our Society’s true champions, the Sidewinders.

Jerry Fairchild, Joe Daniels, Gene Boyd and Jay Wright had their first rehearsal in February 1961. They realized right away they had a good sound and having a fine arranger like Jay in their quartet, offered the opportunity for customized arrangements. Earl Moon was another primary arranger throughout their fine career.

Some of the songs the Sidewinders became famous for are: “Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay,” “I Want a Full Time Job,” “When It’s Night Time in Dixie Land” and “On a Farm in Indiana.” Solos like “Allegheny Moon,” “Coloring Book,” “Full time Job” and “Danny Boy” also became memorable “hits” of our ’64 champions.

Jerry spoke about the famous Chesapeake Bay “tag” we still sing today. Many tenors are notorious for singing a wrong note in the tag because they want to sing the note they hear on the recording. Guess what, we’re trying to sing the overtone which is louder than Jerry singing his note!

There is one story that Jerry told me that bears repeating. Immediately after winning in San Antonio Saturday evening, the quartet was rushed off the stage through a backstage door to a waiting limo to get to the airport. They flew to New York that night to do the Ed Sullivan Show the next day. During the afternoon rehearsal, they were told they could only sing for a certain amount of time. The Sidewinders decided to sing For Me and My Gal. The director said it was too long, so the quartet cut the intro. That night the quartet was scheduled to sing at 8:40 pm.

Back stage and ready to go, in walked Frank Sinatra. While not scheduled to be on the show that night, when Ed found out Frank was there, he made room for him. After Frank Sinatra had finished, Ed Sullivan introduced the Sidewinders with less than five minutes to go. Coming up to the tag, the network went to a Dove commercial. Whisking an international champion quartet away from the convention right after they had won was to never happen again!

The Sidewinders sang their swan song in 1969. Together for eight years, they sang many shows including two Meredith Willson spectaculars. They were a beloved Society quartet champion filled with not just great singers, but with great gentlemen as well.

Advice For Care of the Professional Voice
Article by Dorothy Acton

Dave Gryvnak alerted us to this website featuring "Advice For Care of the Professional Voice": http://www.aos-jax.com/provoice.htm. It has many good tips.

I lost my voice in the 80's and had to have speech therapy. I began to lose my voice in July and finally sought therapy in February. With help, I got my voice back in 3 months. Here are a few things I learned at $40/hr. about taking care of my voice:

1. Talk less, less intensely, and more quietly.
2. Speak more slowly in an easy, relaxed, softer voice.
3. Rest voice before and after talking for any period of time.
4. Do not talk at all in noisy situations.
5. Wear a sign saying "On medical voice rest." (I DID! I carried a notepad and pen to communicate.)
6. Avoid talking on the phone, especially if you're trying to "make a case" with the other party or the situation is tense.
7. Avoid smoke-filled rooms; avoid clearing your throat; don't whisper.
8. Turn down the TV if you want to have a conversation.
9. No singing; minimize talking to the dog.
10. Avoid spicy foods, aspirin, alcohol, milk products, carbonated beverages, caffeine. Gargle with warm salt water. Drink water and eat soothing foods such as chicken noodle soup.

During my recuperation, I dreamed up or found these one-liners:

Speak softly and carry a big notepad.
Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.
Actions speak louder than words if you have laryngitis.
Brevity is beautiful.
His speech died of massive logorrhea.
He who loves to hear himself talk is too easy to please.
Talking too much can leave you speechless.
Most words of weight can wait.
Be a man of few words and don't keep them too busy. W. Rogers.
Bale your hay before you try to deliver it. W. Rogers
To make a long story short, stop talking. W. Rogers?
A word to the wise is superfluous. Anon.
Talking is like playing on the harp. There is as much in laying the hands on the strings to stop their vibration as in twanging them to bring out their music. Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Out of the Mouths of Babes
Found on the Internet

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds. "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

1. When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toe nails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her now all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love. Rebecca - age 8

2. When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouths. Billy - age 4

3. Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving Cologne and they go out and smell each other. Kari - age 5

4. Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs. Chrissy - age 6

5. Love is what makes you smile when you're tired. Terri - age 4

6. Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK. Danny - age 7

7. Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and my daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss. Emily - age 8

8. Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. Bobby - age 7

9. Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day. Noelle - age 7

10. Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well. Tommy - age 6

11. My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night. Clare - age 6

12. Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken Elaine - age 5

13. Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford. Chris - age 7

14. Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day. Mary Ann - age 4

15. You really shouldn't say "I LOVE YOU" unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. Jessica - age 8

Next Issue: Target publication date for the next Squeezins' bulletin is March. 1 or whenever we get enough articles. Send your articles to Editor at dcacton@earthlink.net.