God Bless the USA as performed by Lee Greenwood sequenced by Les Herrman
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In This Issue:
Afterglow, Denny's Restaurant, 3000 W Chapman between the 57 and 5 fwys by Michael Werner Over the past year or so, it appears that there are those people in the Society that have willingly stepped away from traditional barbershop harmony in order to appeal to a broader audience. Things such as changing our name from SPEBSQSA to the Barbershop Harmony Society are just a small step to a direction that may become detrimental to "What We Are Trying to Preserve". Changing the familiar logo into something nondescript has alienated a number of people. The Far Western District last year made it known that it does not honor or support the new name or logo. The whole issue should have been decided by the Society membership at large. For over 60 years, the Society attracted members because we gave them what they expected in our hobby. To let a few "professionals" steer us away from the special sound and chord ringing would be shameful. We all know that many quartets, after having won the gold, almost move completely away from the barbershop style. They incorporate jazz, blues, rock & roll, or the modern a capella sound a la The Blenders. It is as if Barbershop was just a stepping stone to something else. That is disrespectful. I am tired of our music being treated like the b___ard child of American Music. We in the Orange Quartet Chapter know what makes the Barbershop sound. I hear it quite a bit on Monday Evenings, and I like it. There is nothing wrong with experimenting with new songs. Heck, Balderdash does it all the time. I just do not want anyone to forget what it was that attracted us to barbershop in the first place. Once that foundation is gone, the Society as a whole will cease to exist. I do not want that to happen. I hope you don't either.
Michael J. Werner
Happy Birthday, Stan French!
Stan French 90th birthday party is being sponsored by the Fullerton Chapter Tuesday, 18 July at 7 pm at the Assistance League Hall in Fullerton. Address 233 W Amerige. It should be a great time. Fred Robirds says that there will be a lot of beer and lots of singing. Quartets encouraged. Let's all turn out for this great barbershopper.
I’m Confessin’
We barbershoppers tend to sing to ourselves constantly, except when we’re humming or even whistling. Melodies are our companions at work and on the daily commute, and like a breath of ocean air they reinvigorate our minds and bodies. All of this happens without conscious effort, especially when we listen to “oldies radio”, and we’re often surprised when a passenger in the car comments on our habit.
If you were a “teener” in the 1950s or 1960s, the June PBS special on the popular hits of that era was made for you. Johnny Mathis sang “Chances Are”; the De Castro Sisters sang “Teach Me Tonight”; the Platters sang “Harbor Lights”; and The Duprees sang “You Belong to Me”. Rosie Clooney performed “I’ll Be Seeing You”, and the Brothers Four sang “Try to Remember”. Each of these songs reverberated in my memory like a gong.
Two other hits that helped me through my clueless adolescence were “When I Fall In Love (It Will Be Forever)” and “You Belong to Me”. The line “Fly the ocean in a silver plane,/ See the jungle when it’s wet with rain” was a mantra for me on dull school days in Bakersfield.
On the same show, pianist/composer Roger Williams (age 81) showed us the enduring power of music by recreating the soaring arpeggios of his great hit “Autumn Leaves”, in both its original form and an updated version. I remembered the lines: “Since you went away the days grow long/And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song” carries such a sense of loss that it is almost painful.
Then Frankie Lane (age 92!) walked on stage and shared “That’s My Desire” with us all. Frankie doesn’t belt them out like he used to, but his performance was intense and spellbinding. You’ll want to catch that program the next time around; you will sing all of those songs for weeks afterward.
In our craft, we seem to intensify the pleasure of “the old songs”, even though many of them may be new to us. Indigo Quartet is learning “I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You)” and “A Wink and a Smile” at our usual rate, which is leisurely at best. Both songs are new to me. I always learn the lead melody first and then learn my harmony part. Soon I find myself remembering my own part as if it were the melody, and I sing it aloud as I tend the garden. It’s even a good cure for insomnia. After silently going through lines like “In your eyes I see such strange things./But your lips deny they’re true” in baritone mode, my mind escapes into sleep as a default mode. Hey! That’s another benefit of barbershop.
Last Monday only Lee and I were present of the Indigo foursome, so we sang in a lot of combos. I tried out the tenor part to “That Old Gang of Mine”, and now it’s galloping around my brain. I’ll plink it out on the keyboard until like a horse that’s been “rode hard and put away wet” it too falls asleep. Barbershop may do strange things to the brain, but no one can deny that it’s great fun, “If only to remind them how dear they are to me,/And just how much I miss the touch of four-part har – mo – ny.” Oh, yes.
Thank You for My Reunion
I want to thank you for all the hospitality that you and the others at the
Orange Chapter have shown me, as a visitor and former Society member coming
in from a 20+ year hiatus. I am grateful for all your help in preparing for
my college/quartet reunion; as well as letting me bend your ear about my
concerns going into it, and again when I came back with the scratchy
recording of the performance. I didn't mean to monopolize your time -- but in
any event your graciousness was very much appreciated.
I know that the actual performance wouldn't rate very highly from a musical
standpoint, which is perhaps to be expected given the relatively little time
the quartet actually had to prepare together. As imperfect as it may have
sounded, what I really valued was my first chance in 25 years to get
together with "that old quartet of mine" and sing again -- and we had a lot
of fun with it. Listening to the tape afterward, I thought it was also
interesting to hear how that group worked as a unit, interpreted the music,
...and presented a "romantically incorrect" song like "Coney Island Baby" to
a room full of spouses and married friends!
I think that my time with the Orange BHS Chapter preparing for this event
was well spent. Especially considering that some of the arrangements I
brought with me are now considered somewhat outdated, everyone was a very
good sport about it. Even though my quartet's 5-song repertoire was pared
down to just "Wild Irish Rose" and "Coney Island Baby" when we actually
sang, I definitely benefited from the practice I had on our other songs, as
well as the many more I had a chance to sing during my four-week "crash
refresher course." All the quartet practice at the Chapter meetings made the
difference in refreshing my memory of the songs, getting back a feeling for
singing the tenor harmony, having the range I needed to sing them, being
able to sing under less-than ideal conditions, and being able to
re-establish my part of the harmony after hitting a rough spot. And even
while I was focused on getting ready for my Reunion, I had a lot of fun
doing so!
So I definitely owe a big thank you to you and to everyone who helped me
prepare. I would definitely be happy to see more of you and the Chapter in
the future.
Thanks
P.S. Stan and Michael, I certainly owe you a special thanks for the extra
time you gave me, and everything I've written here is very much for you.
In addition, I noticed the Chapter newsletter online and want you to know
that if you wish you can edit/forward what I've written to the newsletter
editor -- or not, as you see fit. I trust your judgment as to whether or not
it's something that the others would be interested to see.
Thanks again for everything!
Webcast at Indy
If you can't make it to the International Barbershop convention in Indianapolis, Indiana July 2-9, consider watching it by Webcast. Full information on schedule, pricing, and various viewing packages is provided at www.barbershop.org/Webcast.
Curmudgeon Speaks
Just called Dorothy Acton to see if it's too late to submit an article. In her usual high-spirited fashion she said, "Heck NO," or something like that. Dick taught her some of the bar language he picked up. Anyhow, she had a shot of chemo this morning but expected to swing into action come Monday. She sets a high mark for people to emulate when they have a problem!
Got a problem here. No idea what to write. Naturally, it would have to be along a curmudgeonly line, since that's my only official job in our chapter. When I got my title, someone asked "What's a curmudgeon?" My answer, "Look it up in the dictionary!" Said he, "How do you spell it?" I'm not sure whether he meant dictionary or curmudgeon, or both. Oops -- just saw something Monday night worth belly-aching about.
Don Engel, our chapter treasurer, was counting the money from the bucket we cram full of money every Monday night. (It pays for our rent, coffee, cookies, etc.) I asked if we still get loose change instead of currency. He smiled, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a whole handful of change, including lots of pennies. Says he, if they don't have any bills one week, they can make it up later! Our treasurer shouldn't have to screw around with small change to make a bank deposit. As official AND CERTIFIED Curmudgeon, I can't comment personally on this because Dorothy would have to censure my wording. Just look into my eyes!!
Let's pry into another area that we seem to have. Our bulletin editor always welcomes articles by anyone about barbershopping. Dunno, maybe other things, too. But she has to put the heat on chapter officers for anything and usually gets extremely little. Stan Tinkle seems to have an unending supply of poop about music, composers--you name it. He just loves to write, and knows how. Thanks, Stan!! He constantly pours articles (of substance) into the Fullerton bulletin, which steadily wins 1st place award in both state and national arenas. Not only because of Stan, but the editor, Dick Cote, somehow has an unending list of articles from all officers plus interested and interesting people! Dick has made it look easy for around ten years. Tain't. Dick and his wife keep their team at their best all the time.
Dorothy has posted notice that she cannot continue, as much as she enjoys it. So our chapter needs to relieve the lady. If you're afraid of spelling, English, punctuation -- we've got people who can do proofreading. (And will.) If you're interested at all, please talk to Dorothy Acton. She knows all about it and will help. I've heard from people who say they can't write. Baloney! Most of us went to at least high school. If you can organize things, please think this over.
Phooey!
Paul Kelley
[Editor's Note: Methinks Kelley is a bit hard on our writers. Agreed that Tinkle is a TREASURE. But Gryvnak is no slouch, either, sending me material and leads every week, almost daily. So take a bow, you two. And everybody else, your items are always welcome. Dorothy Acton, Editor until the chemo flattens me.]
From: AJ Manker
I was wondering if anyone has considered putting together a 2nd set of polecat songs - possibly more current arrangements? I don't know how long the current polecat songs have been in place, but I would think having more variety of songs to choose from would be fun and challenging. We could call it Barberpole Cat 2. When we get together to sing, we can find out if the foursome knows Pole Cat 1 or 2.
I sing baritone with the Masters of Harmony.
Thanks for your consideration of my suggestion.
AJ
There are six songs in the set:
Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah
Go to the Society's website and in the Harmony Marketplace Search box, type Harmony Classics and you'll find what you need including printed arrangements and learning CDs. OK?
So glad you wrote us. Please spread the word!!!!
In "Seventh" Heaven,
===========
End of Summer Sing-Out
Mark your calendar for Oct 14th. Phil Roth will be hosting the Summer sing again this year. It will be on Sat. 14 Oct. Don't forget it. It is a great time to really meet all the people in the chapter. By all I mean the wives as well as the chapter members. Bring food and anything you'd like to drink other than beer and soda pop. Phil will supply those. And be prepared to sing and sing and sing. It is one of the best socials you will ever attend. Remember, 14 Oct. If you're too busy to sing, you're too busy.
[Editor's Note: Map to Phil's house will appear in Aug.-Sept. Squeezin's.]
Dave
International Recognition
Stan Tinkle just sent me the April-June issue of "The Trillium," the official magazine of the Ontario District Association of Chapters, the BarberShop Harmony Society (SPEBSQSA). Stan had received it from Dick Cote, who had received it from Trillium Editor Waldo Redekop. Waldo had spotted Stan's article "One Singer, Two Chapters--Is It For You," which had been published in our "Squeezin's" Aug.-Sept. 2005 issue. The article was reprinted in "The Trillium," with this Editor's Note:
[As most of you know, I am a certified PROBE judge in two of the three categories for bulletin judging. This year, as I was judging chapter bulletins that were entered into the PROBE International Bulletin Contest, I read an article by Stanley Tinkle. Credit was not given as to the source, so I contacted Dick Cote in the Fullerton Chapter as I read about Stan in his award-winning bulletin Barbershop Clippins's.
Stan is a member of two chapters. The following article appeared in the Orange Chapter's Orange Squeezin's, Dorothy Acton, Editor. I thought a quartet chapter was a great idea, something I would have liked to have tried. After all, the "Q" in SPEBSQSA stands for quartets. Now that we are the Barbershop Harmony Society, I guess quartets may no longer have as big a focus, at least they don't seem to in most Ontario District chapters.]
Thoughts for the Day
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Start by doing what's necessary, then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." Saint Francis of Assisi.
Target publication date for the next Squeezins' bulletin is August 15 or whenever we get enough articles. Send your articles to Editor at dcacton@earthlink.net.
 ORANGE QUARTET CHAPTER, Barbershop Harmony Society
To find a separate printable list of officers for your records, click HERE.
OFFICERS
President: Mike Werner
Immediate Past President: Dave Gryvnak
V.P. Marketing & PR: Gary Phillips
Secretary:
Rich Spencer
Treasurer: Don Engel
V.P. Membership: Wes Reed
V.P. Music: Paul Gutierrez
V.P. Programs: Phil Roth
Member at Large: Ken Tillmanns
Bulletin Editor: Dorothy Acton
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Keep America Singing! 
ORANGE SQUEEZIN'S
