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Happy New Year!
AT THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1130 E. WALNUT ST., ORANGE, CALIF.
December is a terrific time to be a barbershopper. At the meeting, everyone is singing Christmas Carols, and there are always new arrangements being sung as well as new Christmas songs being introduced. All the formal quartets are trying to increase their repertoire in the hopes of getting ready to sing for different groups for the holidays. I don’t know if you are aware that many quartets do not have a list of Christmas songs that they can sing for a gig. That is a shame. They are so absorbed in polishing their contest and show songs that they just don’t have time for holidays. I’m glad we take the time to polish the old and learn new Christmas songs.
By the way, the Shrine Christmas concert was a success. We had some representation, even though not as much as we had originally promised. I, personally, was just about to go when a family crisis arose which prevented me from attending. Those that went say it was outstanding. Maybe next year, if they do it again, we can be more supportive.
However, our own Christmas Caroling at the Chapman General Hospital was well attended. There were more than twenty-five members there. Three of the practicing quartets, Fermata the Blue, Indigo and Balderdash were there and got to sing some of their favorite carols. I want to thank Vance Heron and Stan Haymaker for coming such long distances to support our effort. They came from Los Angeles and all the way from Bakersfield. Stan just recently moved to Bakersfield. We won’t be seeing much of him any more. Thanks again, guys.
And a big thanks to John Majzler. He still can sing a terrific Silent Night.
What’s coming up? Get ready. That’s right. Get ready for Valentines. We will be singing on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th of February--that’s Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday next month. That means we have to get ready now in order to sing then. Rich Spencer, with the help of Rich Lewis, will be running the Valentines program. He needs to know what quartets will be available on what dates. He also needs to know which members will be available on which dates. This is an intense job that he is doing, and we need to help him as much as possible. The other thing we need to do is to get the advertising out to everyone we can think of. He can’t do that alone. He and Rich Lewis are already getting the material ready. We need to distribute it. There is a lot of work to do, but it is great fun. Mike will be teaching us the songs to sing. Any of you that have done this in the past know how much fun it is. Those of you that have not done this in the past, gotta do it now.
So come on down on Monday evening. A lot of singing is happening before the meeting. Many are coming down at 6 to sing. By the way, come and sing with our new member Gary Phillips. He is going to be a great lead. He certainly has the voice and enthusiasm. Remember, if you’re too busy to sing, you’re too busy.
Appreciation
I had this on my list of things to do about 4 months ago to write to all of you guys and let you know something. So I am finally doing it.
Here goes:
I want you all to know how much I appreciate being able to come out there on Monday Nights and sing with you.
I am so thankful for every one of you. Man, is harmony a fun fun thing!!!
Thank you guys for showing me the songs, for teaching me how to sing the songs, for giving me feedback on how to sing barbershop. There is a lot of talent in the room.
I am lucky to be part of the Orange Chapter.
Finally, a place where a guy can come and sing his own part. I don't have 20 people singing the same part in my ear (probably out of tune to boot).
If it was not for this chapter, I would probably not have gotten back into it.
So gentlemen, what I am getting at is...
Please accept my gratitude.
Jeff Parmer
Editor's Note: Jeff sent this email privately to members of the Orange Quartet Chapter, and one of the responses he received was this:
"Jeff, and everybody else. That goes ditto for me. Stan T"
Now Is the Time for All Good Men!
Barbershoppers seem to thrive on celebrations. During the holidays, we sing carols at hospitals, as members of the Orange Quartet Chapter did in December, ably directed by our resident elf, Michael Werner. Staff members and patients welcomed the break from their very serious preoccupations. For this singer the frosting on the cake was that I was able to walk out the front door while others had to spend Christmas "in hospital".
Our next big celebration of a personal nature is of course Valentines Day, February 14th. In 2005 it falls on a Monday, which presents its own combination of challenges and opportunities. New members might be unaware that our Chapter earns all of our money for operating expenses (rent, fees for music, The Squeezin’s, awards and worthy causes) by selling and delivering our Singing Valentines. We do most of the selling in January. This year we will carry out all deliveries on four days in February. Therein lies the challenge.
For several years Rich Lewis has been our Singing Valentines Chairman. This year Rich is overseeing planning while Rich Spencer is testing the reins as Cadet Chairman. As I write, they are buying roses and plotting maps, like Air Traffic Controllers. They are the right team at the right time. Needless to say, Rich and Rich will not get many opportunities to deliver valentines, but this operation could not succeed without them.
You and I also have key roles in Operation Valentine. During January we sell Valentine deliveries to friends and family. Many of us buy valentines too. Phil Roth buys a monster Singing Valentine which is delivered to a Senior Citizen Valentine Luncheon at his church. I buy one for the library where I volunteer. See another sample in an article below.
Some of our registered quartets will take time off work on Friday, February 11 and Monday, February 14 to deliver valentines all day. This may sound like fun to a new guy, but it’s more like an all-day car rally. Yes, you’re present at some intimate and touching moments, but no, you don’t think your feet or your seat could take such a beating every day. At any rate, whether each of us is needed for the singing, every one of us is needed to sell the Valentines. Sell (or donate) your two billets doux, and we can relax and sing at our leisure the rest of the year. By the way, any member who wants to sing to his wife can do so by 1) buying the Valentine and making the arrangements, and 2) being present when the quartet knocks on her door or at her office. Then he can step up and sing the second song with three of the guys. Voila! What a guy!
As I said, because Valentines Day falls on a Monday, and because many of our most dramatic deliveries are at the workplace, we will be encouraging our clients to opt for a Friday delivery. It makes sense to bring up the subject at the start of a romantic weekend. We’ll also push Saturday and Sunday deliveries, but our past experience has been that people don’t plan ahead as much as we could wish. So Monday will probably be our heaviest day.
However the market shakes out this year, you are the source of our success, and January is the time to nail down those reservations. Ask Rich and Rich how you can help. Here’s for smooth sailing all through the year ahead.
Singing Valentines 2005
Singing Valentines 2005 is right around the corner!
Rich Lewis has recruited Rich Spencer and Paul Kelley this year to help out so that we can get more aggressive in marketing to book some restaurants, rest homes and special events.
We have seven fully-qualified quartets this year for our singing valentines. They are: BALDERDASH; CALIFORNIA BLEND; 4-4 HARMONY; FERMATA THE BLUE; INDIGO; IT'S MAGIC; and the ORANGE TOWN FOUR.
We have some qualified quartets for specific repeat events and need additional volunteers for days that the qualified quartets have missing parts. Please review the singing days and let Rich Spencer know what days, times and parts you will be available to sing.
We will be booking standard orders for Friday, February 11, Sat. Feb. 12, Sun. Feb. 13, with Monday, Feb. 14 our BIG DAY at $40, with additional cost for "one-hour" window, additional people and specific times.
We'll be asking for help to attach the applications to the "tents"; address envelopes; placing promotion "tents" at the businesses that you frequent, like the cleaners, liquor store, grocery store, barber shop, your wife's hair dresser, bakery, etc.
The Orange Town Four will be setting out over 75 of these "tents" alone in the Orange area. I'll bet some other quartets might do the same--provide a song for the business you want to place a promo-tent in. If you are selective, you won't be turned down!
Continue to call Rich Lewis for any questions you might have about our program this year, or ask Rich Spencer. He'll have the answer, or he'll get it for you.
Rich Lewis
Memories of Bill Redfern
For over five years, a quiet fellow with a shy smile named Bill Redfern was part of my barbershop experience. In both the Orange Quartet Chapter and the Fullerton Chorus Chapter, Bill was always present whenever there was a chance to sing. Bill learned more songs in his first year at Orange than anyone I know. In fact, he joined at least four chapters, driving 30 miles each way every weekday (counting Friday Lunch Bunch in Fullerton), just for that barbershop "high". Bill could not get excited about competing against other chapters. He was a true ecumenicist in barbershop.
Bill used to play clarinet in a jazz band, so he stepped easily into quartet singing when he retired. I shared his eagerness to try out "just one more song" in four-part harmony. When you catch the bug in your sixth decade, you don’t want to waste a moment. The men with whom Bill learned a song became part of his family, and I was not surprised to see over fifty barbershoppers stand up to sing at his funeral in December.
His favorite songs were "Darkness on the Delta", "San Francisco Bay Blues", "Chicago Town" and "I Believe". We tended to reserve these titles for him, knowing that before any glow had ended, Bill would ask several of us to sing them with him. It was disconcerting when he thanked me for singing with him, but I think it was Bill’s way of underlining how special the experience of singing should be to all of us.
Bill’s wife Angie supported his love of singing, and she was always present with him at chapter activities. She knew that his music gave him a reason to endure five years of chemotherapy. His life was a true triumph of the spirit over circumstance. I think Bill was a happy man every day I knew him.
When my Indigo Quartet learned a new song, Bill always wanted to hear it, especially if it was slightly outside the umbrella of traditional barbershop. So it follows that on a Monday evening three weeks before he died, he announced that he was ready to sing "Scotch and Soda" with us. We rehearsed it twice with him and then presented it to the Orange Chapter. How typical of Bill that he managed to squeeze in one more song during his last month!
When Bill was unconscious in the hospital, his friend and longtime barbershopper Russ Kimberling visited him. Angie had been playing his beloved barbershop tapes. Russ said, "Bill, let’s sing ‘Bay Blues’" and began the song. Bill’s eyelids fluttered and his lips began to move. By the end of the song he was singing too. Then the effort became too much and he slipped back into the coma. But he had managed one more song.
At Bill’s funeral a poem was passed out to all present. Whenever I’m at a songfest it will remind me of Bill Redfern in his natty white motorman’s cap, waiting with an expectant smile:
The Afterglow
I’d like the memory of me to
A strong echo of Bill’s love of music must have lingered in his beloved sports car, because his church deacon told me at the funeral that he had agreed to drive Bill’s car home from the hospital on that final week. At a stoplight, the "chart" of "Scotch and Soda" slid onto the floor at his feet. The deacon picked it up and sight-read it. Then he could not get the song out of his mind all night. Bill would have been delighted:
"All I need is one of your smiles,
Novice Contest
Here is some advance info from Bernard Priceman. It is about the 2005 SoCal Novice Contest, but this year with a major
enhancement. This year it will also be open to "Very Large Quartets"
(5 thru 11 men) and mixed male and female groups. This would be
an excellent opportunity for chapters who rarely compete seriously, because they don't feel the
effort is worthwhile or they don't have enough men to put on stage. How
great would it be to get 8 or 10 men together and show your wares,
without any serious competition? What an experience. To find out more,
please contact either Russ Squires of the Westminster Chapter -
mailto: russsquires@hotmail.com or Ken Custer of the Santa Fe Springs
Chapter - mailto: Ken.Custer@NorthropGrumman.com. The contest will take
place at 6:00 PM on February 5th at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.
Members of the Orange Quartet Chapter should buy their sweeties (or their moms or favorite aunts or co-workers) a Singing Valentine this year. It’s one of those truly unique experiences that can never be forgotten.
Last year, Barbara Tinkle handed out these invitations to her fellow dog-walkers to share a Singing Valentine which husband Stanley delivered with his quartet. The crowd at Starbuck’s was really wowed!
Her Special Dog-Loving Friends And Fellow Early-Morning Park Walkers From Barbara An Invitation To Share a Valentine Moment This Friday, February Thirteenth, 2004 Some Time between Nine and Nine Thirty A.M. At Starbuck’s Between Galaxy Cinema and Knollwood’s NW Corner of La Palma and Imperial Indigo Quartet Barbara And You Please Join Us. 
Listen to Some Classic Tunes
Submitted by Ed Wilks
Thanks, ED! We'll be using some of these in future issues of "Squeezin's."
Target publication date for the next Squeezins' bulletin is Feb. 1 or whenever we get enough articles. Send your articles to Editor at dcacton@earthlink.net.
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ORANGE SQUEEZIN'S
