| 1980 - The
inimitable John Smith became our president. John was elected in a
contested election, which is something that rarely happens.
Pensacola enlisted the help of the Fort Walton Beach chorus to do
a show with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra in the Municipal
Auditorium. District contest was held in the spring at Lakeland
and the Pensacola chorus competed.
1981 - Ray "Lead Pipe" Harrison was unanimously
elected to the position of president. The reopening of the Saenger
Theater, which originally opened in 1925, was the occasion for a
show and the participating quartets were the Panhandlers, now with
Bob Romaine as bass; Song Machine; and Stacked Deck (1976 Dixie
District champs) from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
1982 - Ron Roark started the first year of his dynasty. Back
in Those Days Gone-Bye was the name of the show and Saenger
Theater was the place again. Performers were the Shoreliners, Song
Machine, and Stacked Deck.
1983 - Ron Roark served his second year as chapter president.
The chorus attended competition in the fall at Daytona Beach.
1985 - Believe it or not, Ron Roark was elected for another
term as president. We, again, combined with Fort Walton Beach at
both home towns. The title was Happiness
is an Evening of Barbershop Singing. The Chord Commanders,
Evening Edition (Fort Walton quartet), Brigadiers, Panhandlers,
and Cincinnati Kids topped the bill. Back to contest to defend our
title in Clearwater but our defense was defenseless and some
unknown chorus beat us out.
1986 - I know you're not going to believe this but, according
to my sources, Ron Roark was AGAIN elected to the presidency. The
Sidewalks of New York was our show name and was performed
at the Saenger and Fort Walton Beach. The Chord Commanders and
Sidestreet Ramblers (1988 International champs) carried that show.
Again we went to fall contest this time in Lakeland and hot dog,
we won the Small Chorus title again. Is there no end to fame and
fortune?
1987 - New blood. Carter Combs was elected as president and Barbershop
Attic was the show name. We performed the show at the
Municipal Auditorium with the Chord Commanders and Cheerful Noise
(1986 Sunshine District champs) quartets performing. We also did An
Evening with the Arts at the Saenger and Yuletide
Favorites at Pensacola Junior College. We competed in the
spring at Jacksonville but there was no joy this year.
1988 - The election committee will do anything to keep from
working, so Carter Combs was again persuaded to take the job of
president. That year we got together with Mobile and Gulfport to
perform Barbershop Christmas in
all three locations. Fall contest was held in Sarasota and
Pensacola chapter made the long trek down with "pedal to the
metal" but once there, we did not put the medal in the
kettle.
1989 - Local business man, John Navaro, was elected as
our president. All of Our Ladies
was the show theme. It was an adequate performance and the
Sidekicks, 1986 Sunshine District champs did a magnificent job for
us. We went to contest again and the kindest thing that could be
said was that we did not win again. |
