Member Biographies

Daniel Beckitt - Tenor
Having grown up in Tasmania and spent some time overseas, Daniel has finally decided to settle down (for the time being, at least) in Brisbane.  Having been interested in music all his life, Daniel only really started singing when he started Year 11 in 1991.  Through his choral director, he was invited to audition as tenor for the infamous Close Shave and was unsuccessful!  Luckily, Close Shave were auditioning again in 1993 and Daniel began his barbershopping 'career'.

Daniel is one of only two Australian barbershoppers to have a complete medal collection (gold, silver and bronze), having won bronze and silver with Close Shave in 1995 and 1997 then winning the gold with Southern Cross in 1999.  He is also one of only a few to have won two gold medals in contest.

John Newell – Lead
John has attended all Australian barbershop conventions since the first in 1991. But his barbershop career began before then in 1987 singing Lead with Close Shave quartet in Tasmania. There he first met and sang with Daniel, before returning to his home state of Queensland. It is a great thrill for him to sing with the other guys in Southern Cross, not to mention the "coincidence" of singing again with Daniel in another state. Singing has always been part of John's life. From church choirs to stage musicals to barbershop, his experiences are diverse. He is one of only two men to win four medals in Australian quartet contest history, two of them gold. John lives and works in Brisbane and is annoyed that he still doesn't have a nickname in the quartet!

Bill Staff – Baritone
Apart from being the quartet Baritone, Bill is also Musical Director of the River City Clippers Barbershop Chorus (Australian silver medallists). Bill's first competition in quartetting was in '93, (fourth place - behind John's quartet!) just ten months after he "found" barbershop. Since then, Bill has formed a new club and, as its only member, he cuts a lonely figure – he is the first barbershopper in Australia to win 3 quartet gold medals, first with The High Five in 1995 and then with Southern Cross in 1999 and 2001. Bill also has the distinction of being one of the rare few in the world who has won a Quartet Gold and a Chorus Gold at the same convention, but in addition to this, he was also MD of that Gold Medal chorus! Bill almost repeated this feat in '99, when the River City Clippers missed the Gold by just five points.

Bill is married with 3 children and is a Project Manager on the F111. 

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