Four barbershop singers from the El Cajon chapter of the SPEBSQSA, Inc. woodshedded in 1976 to see if they could have some fun and a piece of barbershopping history was launched! Glenn Roller sang tenor, Jim James sang lead, Lionel Carpenter sang baritone and Mike Morrell sang bass. They had a lot of fun and even sang four parts on occasion (sometimes resembling harmony!) They decided early on (even before they bought matching socks!) that they would not compete but would sing as well as possible, practice regularly and learn familiar songs their audiences would recognize and have fun with.. Soon parodies, for which the quartet is known, were written to old familiar tunes. Special practices were called for each performance working on the songs they planned to sing. As it turns out, they had more fun than any of them expected and, best of all, their audiences had fun right along with them. Although quartet members have changed over time, their basic philosophy has remained the same and has proven to work well for them and represent the ideals of the SPEBSQSA. They keep it to this day! (And NOW they have matching socks!)

In 1978 Chet Farmer, the present bass, replaced Mike Morell. Chet remains as one of the most entertaining, highly respected basses in the Society! In 1982 Lionel Carpenter relocated to Colorado and Larry Peterson took over as bari. Peterson dropped out in 1984 and was replaced by Dick Robinette, local college music professor (but we didn't let that ruin the quartet!). This foursome - James, Roller, Farmer and Robinette - remained together until 1996 when Glenn Roller was forced to quit due to an injury that affected his voice. During that time, they completed their first audio tape, including all the songs in their repertory and a few jokes, too! (Maybe that's why we have so many left!?) Gary Matthews, longtime tenor with the Society, was recruited to sing tenor on a gig we were committed to (he had so much fun he's been with us since) and the 'Tones kept Rollin' along! It seems as though with each new change came new ideas and an overall increase in the quality of the group - call it synergy, but the quartet got better and better. Not only did the sound improve, but the quartet's ability to entertain and enrich their audiences escalated as well. Some years ago the quartet decided to break the rules a bit (barely) and added a guitar, fiddle, washtub, washboard, jug and kazoo. Thus was born the Rollin' Tones known so well by San Diego area barbershoppers. The only barbershop group to perform with these instruments in this locale, the group tapped into a whole heap of great folk, hillbilly and country and western songs. It was this combination that toured with the Sun Harbor Chorus in 1990. Over the years they have performed in England, Sweden and Germany. It's probably factual that if this quartet was fully investigated, the amount of fun they and their audiences have would be declared "illegal." At the moment, there is no plan to change that direction!

On average, the Rollin' Tones perform about 30 times per year and sing to approximately 6,000 people. They have sung in every major performing venue in San Diego and on chapter shows for three of San Diego's four SPEBSQSA choruses. They've appeared as skeletons, Hell's Angels, bums, vagrants, hayseeds, cowboys and elves.

 

There is more than 120 years of barbershopping experience among them. It wasn't all singing, though - they are all Grandpas!

 

 

Let the Rollin' Tones be part of the fun in your life.

 

Happy singing!!