[Gary finishes with the following thought.]
Plant the seeds, feed and cultivate your quartets and many good things will happen to your chapter. Think of your chapter not as chorus singers, but as a collection of quartet men. All the members of your chapter should experience the thrill of singing in a quartet That is why they joined, and that is why they will stay.
"Semper Paratus" some follow ups:
You'll recall that in the January-February 2006 bulletin there was an article about the Coast Guard hymn, Semper Paratus, based on information submitted by Jay Garber. The article was precipitated as a result of correspondence from a Coast Guard Chief who felt that the Coast Guard should be included in our "Armed Forces Medley." I received the following e-mails after that article appeared.
"Hi Tom, Great job with the Pitchburgh Press. Here in Cumberland, we had the same problem with people wanting the Coast Guard Hymn when we sang the Arrned Forces medley, so I arranged it and put it in right after the "This is the Army, Mr. Jones" section. My old chapter [Greater Pittsburgh] is welcome to the arrangement if you guys want it. Just drop me an email and I'll get it off to you. Say hello to everybody for me. Hummmmbly yours, Jim West.
"Just learned your bulletin was on-line and have been reading your Jan/Feb 2006 issue (also revisiting last year's... there were so many good articles in the ones you'd submitted for the BETY). Jay Garber's comments regarding the "Armed Forces Medley" particularly intrigued me. I don't know what version you guys use, but the one I learned in Apple Valley (California) and which we use here in Hastings (Nebraska) has the Coast Guard chorus right after the intro (words and music by Capt. F S Ban Boskerck, @1938 by Sam Fox PubI. Co., authorized arrangement by John R. Grant). One of my brothers was in the Coast Guard but I never knew about the verse. I like it too. "It's great to be a barbershopper!"
Alexander Edwards (BE-Hastings Chapt;, G&S judge BETY contest)"
Well guys; like I said in my last issue; maybe we're going to have to do something about this!
Barbershop History General Knowledge Quiz
Author; Mark Axeirod, edftor of "Blue Chip Chaffe,;"
Teaneck, NJ
QUESTIONS:
1. If you simultaneously play every other white key on the piano starting on G and ending on the F above it, what chord will you hear?
2. Four current TV shows (i.e., regularly scheduled and not in reruns) have featured barbershop quartets. Name them.
3. The Heritage Hall Museum located in Kenosha opened when, and in recognition of what?
4. Where and when did the famous Norman Rockwell painting of a barbershop quartet first appear? For extra credit, in what venue was the painted quartet singing?
Answers can be found on page 12
Singer and Composer, Gene Pitney:
In case you haven't heard, singer Gene Pitney, whose hits in the 1960's included "24 Hours from Tulsa" and "Town Without Pity," died in Wales on April 4, 2006, while on a concert tour. He was 65. Gene Pitney was a native of Connecticut and was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
How does that concern us? Pitney was the composer of "Hello Mary Lou" which he wrote in 1961 and was popularized by Ricky Nelson.
"Hello Mary Lou." of course, is a regular part of our chorus repertoire.
Have you ever tried to teach a lead three measures of music in which he is asked to give up the melody line? Good luck!