METROPOLIS has performed on national and local television, radio and stages in 24 states as well as the countries of Finland and Russia.  The members of the group have served as section leaders of the MASTERS OF HARMONY - a distinction they share with their friends in NIGHTLIFE - and were part of the history making performance in Salt Lake City in 1996 and Anaheim in 1999 that garnered the Masters their third and fourth consecutive International Chorus Championships.  They became the 1996-97 Far Western District Quartet Champions (SPEBSQSA), leading to their having been awarded the Masters of Harmony 1996 "Quartet of the Year”.

On May 9, 1998 METROPOLIS became HARMONY SWEEPSTAKES’ National A Cappella Champions - the first barbershop quartet to do so in the history of the event.  In 1999, the Contemporary Acappella Recording Awards (or CARAs) nominated METROPOLIS' CD "Aural Hygiene" for "Best Barbershop Recording" and "Best Barbershop Song".  This past July, they furthered their titles of achievement by becoming International Quartet Bronze Medalists, placing 4th in Lousville, KY.  Other accomplishments include their aforementioned appearances on E! Entertainment Television, DIY Network's "What's Your Hobby" and Diagnosis Murder with Dick Van Dyke!  If we haven't completely put you to sleep with the preceding & want to know more about these four gentlemen... heeeere they are - (psst... if you'd like to e-mail one of the guys, just click on his photo)

Kelly Shepard - Bari:  Kelly hails from Richmond, Indiana, where he began singing and performing at an early age (his high school wrestling aspirations gave way to The Sound of Music!).  He has sung professionally for 17 years in venues from Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA to singing in civic and professional operas and musical productions.  Kelly began barbershopping in junior high school.  His first quartet, The Midwest Blend, won a high school quartet competition, due to all but one other quartet being prevented from coming by a blizzard!  More recently, Kelly sang Lead in COUNTDOWN and Bass in the 2001 FWD Champion Quartet, SAM'S CLUB.   He holds a degree in Music Education from the Indiana University School of Music and is currently the Department Chair of Theatre Arts for Milken Community High School in Los Angeles.

Brian Philbin - Bass:  A Pioneer District Champion (1985), Brian began regularly singing a capella as a baritone in "THE IVY LEAGUE" at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio in 1983. Brian has been involved in competitive singing a cappella groups since high school. While studying choral technique during high school, he represented the Ypsilanti High School Concert Choir as a baritone in the Michigan State Honors Choir (SATB) and performed at the 1980 Republican National Convention. Brian holds a Baccalaureate of Science in Communications and Theatre Arts from Eastern Michigan University where he was also a member of the EMU Madrigal Ensemble. He has performed professionally in various media as an actor, singer, dancer, stand-up comic, mime (mime?!?), etc. and has literally grown up in the theatre and performing arts arena.

Bob Hartley - Lead:  Bob is single... umm, and RICH!

James Sabina - Tenor:  A comicnomenclaturist by trade, and a frequent practitioner of charientisms, he experienced an afflatus at an early age while living on a ranarium.  He realized his life path was leading him towards hebetudes, due in part to his frequent practice of paralogisms.   Now his subderisorious personality and natural affinity for japes are a testament to the lucubration involved in his reformation.  A true solipsist in every sense of the word, he tergiversates about being sugillated by his quartet members who demonstrate their superior sciolism whenever in public.  He thanks thrillemous trio of the alliaceous Brian, the glabrous Bob, and the dirhinous Kelly.