| 1960 - Our
chapter president was Harry Stump and a Night of Harmony was the
theme of a long line of Barbershop shows that were performed in
Pensacola. The location was Blount Junior High School. Performers
were the Fiesta Chorus, Polytones, and the newly organized
quarter, the Shoreliners that consisted of Bob Kean (lead), Wade
Sale (tenor)), Ralph Totsch (bass) and John Bradburn (baritone).
And the ever helpful Mobile chorus along with the Mobileaires.
Guest quartets were the Shortcuts from Miami and the Treble Rebels
(Sweet Adelines) from Tampa. Guess what members' dues were that
year? $15.00 including the Harmonizer, WOW.
1961 - Ralph Totsch was the president and Barbershop Fever had
a bulldog grip on the Pensacola chapter. Another annual show was
produced under the direction of our new president. Mobile and
Pensacola combined, once again, to thrill the local Barbershop
enthusiasts. The sights were set even higher and the guest
quartets included The Suntones, who were 1961 International
Champions from Miami. They were in good company as co-performers
with the Dixie Colonels 1960 District Champions and the Chordgills
1959 Dixie District Champions. They were taking a back seat to no
one. The rapidly improving and very popular Shoreliners were
Pensacola's offering to another highly successful project.
1962 - Bob Kean was elected as the chapter president.
Barbershop music had become so popular that Pensacola's mayor, C.H.
Overman Jr., declared April 7-14 as Barbershop Harmony week. Times
were very, very good for us.
1963 - Wade Sale took the helm as president from Bob Kean and
Oliver Leonard assumed the job of chorus director as well as the
bass position for the Shoreliners. The Fiesta Chorus hosted
and competed in the Dixie District International Preliminary
Contest for Quartets and Choruses, which was held at the Municipal
Auditorium. This is the stuff that dreams were made of at that
time. How would you like to win the championship right in your own
home town? Many were having just such dreams. And the
winners were - Harmony Grits and the Dignitaries, both super
quartets with distinctive styles as well as magnificent sounds.
Our local participants were well received and in the opinion of
many, "Just as good as and in some ways better than the
winners." But, no sour grapes here, we'll get 'em next year.
1964 - John Bradburn was elected president and the chapter was
very active in local community as well as social events. The two
current quartets, Shoreliners, with Cass Phillips now singing
tenor and the re-activated Sea Sharps participated in the
Kiwanian's Fiesta of Harmony night. Out-of-town quartets were The
Dignitaries from Knoxville and The Mavericks from Dallas. The
Voices from Pensacola High were the non-barbershop chorus
performers. The "really big shew" was Dixie District
International preliminary competition for quartets and choruses
held in the Pensacola Municipal Auditorium. Tickets for the
afternoon performance were $1.00 and the evening show, $1.50.
Unless my source is wrong, the Buffalo Bills were the
"biggies" on that show. The Five Flags Chorus was
being directed by George Evans who sang tenor for the Confederates
quartet (1956 International Champions). George was a very colorful
director and took the chapter to the Dixie District contest in
Chattanooga. The Shoreliners were to compete in Greensboro but
poor old Bob Kean's lung collapsed on the departure date. Tough
luck!
1965 - Jimmy Adkinson, a local business man, was elected to the
presidency. The Fiesta of Harmony was, again, being presented at
the Municipal Auditorium. This happy event had started to grow
faster than most would have expected. The guest quartets included
the Suntones, the Confederates, the Seasharps and the Shoreliners.
All gave stellar performances and as calls of Encore! Encore! rang
out, plans were being made for the next year's show.
1966 - Cass Phillips was the elected president. It was thought
that he could "whip them into line." Unfortunately, that
was easier said than done in a volunteer organization and somehow
things continued along familiar lines. George Evans moved
from Pensacola and Oliver Leonard re-assumed the role of chorus
director. Seville Square was a popular location for entertainment
and the chorus did a Christmas Carol performance there.
1967 -The chapter was under the fine leadership of Cass
Phillips and directorship of Oliver Leonard. The ninth annual
Fiesta of Harmony was once again held at the Pensacola Municipal
Auditorium. The Fiesta Chorus performed, of chorus, and our
visiting quartets were the Dixie Dudes from south Florida and the
Dignitaries from Knoxville, Tennessee. The Rebelaires of Escambia
High School put on a magnificent performance for the audience. And
what would an annual show be without the Shoreliners, our
chapter's second place quartet winner at the Dixie District's
quartet competition.
1968 - Gordon Baxter, a dentist from Gulf Breeze was our
president. This was the 50th anniversary of the end of World War I
— "The war to make the world safe for democracy." To
commemorate the end of that war, the Pensacola chapter did a show
called Behind the Lines. One of the best and most colorful
productions ever done by this chapter. The quartets performing in
that show were The Pensachorjills, Showboats, Shoreliners, and The
Doo-dads. Harold Jones, a local Church of Christ minister started
singing lead with the Shoreliners. He had a very powerful voice
and prospects were looking up for the quartets. An Evening in Old
Seville Square was a popular outing and the chapter was up to its
mouths in spaghetti sauce making, as well as entertaining. We gave
them their moneys worth on both counts. The annual show featured
the Dixie Dudes, the Dignitaries, the Shoreliners Quartets and
Escambia High School's Rebelaires.
1969 - The Shoreliners were in great demand and the chorus was
producing another Fiesta of Harmony. Bob Johnston made his first
appearance in Pensacola by conducting a Craft session at the San
Carlos hotel. I don't recall that he ever came here again. It was
not skimping because when you can get a great quartet for free...
you'd better take it. Jeb Stewart was able to persuade the
Brigadiers, with whom he sang, to be on our show for FREE. It was
rumored that he had to promise a free fishing trip to make that
happen. They were the headliners on our show and they were
fantastic.
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POLYTONES
Leftt-to-right: Paul
Cummings (tenor), Dr. Don Barber (lead), Dr. Harry Stump
(baritone), and John Paul Jones (bass)
The headline for the article in the
Pensacola News on January 21st, 1960, read "Scientest,
Salesman, Prof, Cop -- All in Perfect Harmony." The
Polytones enjoyed doing what they did best: singing and
hitting that high note.
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THE SHORLINERS
Left-to-right: Cass
Phillips (tenor), Bob Kean (lead), John Bradburn (baritone),
and Dr. Oliver Leonard (bass)
The Shoreliners were one of the Fiesta
Barbershop Chorus' first registered quartets. In 1967,
Pensacola Loan and Savings Bank sponsored the quartet and
flew them in the company plane to Knoxville, Tennessee, for
the Dixie District Quartet Championship. Although they
didn't win, they did take second place!
The Shoreliners' name remained active well into the 1980s,
although several faces changed. Dr. Oliver Leonard served as
the chapter musical director for many years, taking the
chapter into several competitions.
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