C:\DOCUME~1\OWNER\DESKTOP\GREATE~1\BULLET~1\Mar-Apr\PBP0306-1.HTM The Pitchburgh Press
Official Bulletin of the
GREATER PITTSBURGH, PA. CHAPTER
VOL.XXIV, NO. 2 March- April, 2006

(Most of the Photos and Graphics have been omitted to allow quicker download for Website version.
This version is not a true copy of the original Bulletin.)

John Power
Greater Pittsburgh Bass ~ John Power

[If we had to give bass John Power a nickname, we could easily call him "Old Man River" as no one sings that just like John. Following is a Bio of John]

About two and one-half years ago, I was asked by then President, Bob Parker, to write a Bio of my life for the bulletin. I was reluctant to do so as I have always been averse about discussing my personal life, partly for fear that I would be misinterpreted. Not that I have done anything great, but... well, here it is.

In this issue
Topic
Page
  Greater Pittsburgh Bass-John Power (Bio)
1
  Calendar, Org., press block, BD's & Anniv.
      2     
  Editors Page
      3     
  Singing for long ago member(Ed Kreger)
      4     
  Annual show a success
      5     
  Show photo montages
6&7
  Hall of Valor, John Eichmiller & We  Perform
      8     
 Board Actions + 5 steps vocal techniques
     9     
  How to sprout quartets
      10     
  Semper Paratus + Quiz + Gene Pitney
      11     
  Quiz Answers
      12     

I was born in McKeesport, January 30,1921. Shortly thereafter, my parents moved to North Braddock where we lived until 1925. Then we moved to East McKeesport where I spent my "growing up" years. I was an above average student and an above average basketball player which earned me a small scholarship to Wabash College. There I played basketball and baseball in my freshman year. Finances kept me from returning to college after my first year, so I went to work for Westinghouse Electric where I spent 42 years. Now that could be the end of this Bio, but it's not.

The exciting part (Barbershopping) didn't start until February of 1957. In the interim I continued to play a lot of basketball and baseball. In 1944 I enlisted in the Army Air Force and spent 19 months waiting to go to school to become an aviation navigator. It never happened and I was discharged in August of 1945 for the "convenience of the Government." During this time I married Ruth in August, 1945 and took her back with me to Spence Field, Georgia until I was discharged.

I returned to Westinghouse, began taking voice lessons and did so for the next eight years. Soon I was singing in a number of organizations, including the Westinghouse Male Chorus, the Pittsburgh Civic Chorus, the Canterbury Choir which sang on KDKA Sunday mornings, a quartet which sang with well known soprano Alice Long and with the Swissvale Presbyterian Church Quartet as their bass soloist.

I was with the Swissvale Church Quartet when Ed Hanson, bass of the Westinghouse Quartet at that time, called and asked if I would be interested in replacing him. You already know what my answer was. I started with the Westinghouse Quartet in February of 1957, joining the other quartet members, Walt Eibeck, Al Headrick and Pete Elder. Shortly, Pete had to drop out due to emphysema and was replaced by Bob Howes.

In the fall of 1957, we entered the Johnny Appleseed District quartet contest. This was a first...   See John Power - page 4


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