Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America

# Sharp Notes #

Publication of the Regina Golden Harvest Chorus

Golden Harvest Chorus meets most Monday Evenings, 7:30-10:00 at

Knox Metropolitan United Church, corner of Victoria and Lorne, Regina, Saskatchewan
Guests always welcome!

April 1998

Bruce Pendelbury - In Memoriam

Ed Camrud, Ted Sayer and I said good-bye to Bruce Pendelbury at a funeral home in Moose Jaw a couple of weeks ago. Bruce was 78.

Bruce started his life's work as a photographer. At the start of the war he joined the RCAF as an aerial photographer. Before long, his entertainment capabilities caught the attention of the "Brass" and he joined an RCAF entertainment group called The Joe Boys. He was the comedian of the group. At 75, Bruce said, "I'm still able to do a little show business when needed… When I was in the show I was a comedian. Now I'm a humourist. Same material, just a little slower."

Bruce ended his working career at the University of Regina, instructing in the audio-visual department. At this time he joined the Regina Chapter. He was a good lead, produced some of our shows and did some stage presence work. His forté was as a stand-up comic and his stage act added a great new dimension to our sing-outs and shows. He made a standard show really great. With his passing goes another great member whom we seem to have difficulty replacing.

Gord Gardiner

Show Songs

Only a few weeks to put the final touches on these -- so make sure you know all your words and music so we can spend the remaining Monday's polishing.

Whatever Happened To The Old Songs

If I Could Write A Song

Irish Blessing

When The Saints Go Marching In

Five Foot Two

Who's Sorry Now

Somewhere Out There

Yesterday

Goodnight Sweetheart

Go ahead, spend as much time as you want looking at your music on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- and then on Monday, you can watch the director!

Uniforms

Don't wait until the night of the show to track down all your parts. If you don't have a uniform or are missing parts, see Bill Quick quickly. You will need your red jacket, white tux shirt, black bow tie, black cummerbund, black pants, dark socks and shoes. Stay tuned at chapter meetings for further announcements of outfits and/or props required for the show.

Show Tickets -- only a few weeks left to sell all of these…

Afterglow

Be sure to see Dave to get your Afterglow tickets. We need to let Empringham's know how many people are coming, so don't leave it to the last minute, or you'll miss out on a fun after-the-show party - lots of food, fun, and singing - for only $8.00. Get yours before they're all gone… If you haven't got one of these, you'll miss out!

McKenzie Touring Co.

1995 Buckeye Invitational Comedy Quartet Champions

Tenor - Gary Raze Lead - Marty Bauer

Baritone - Dale Fish Bass - Tim Knight

During the past twelve years this foursome has performed in ten different states: Alaska, Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and WEIRD.

The last is a more or less permanent state since they are recognized as the only five-man quartet in the Society. This is due of course to the fact that their tenor has a split personality! For contest purposes however, they manage to restrict themselves to only four singing parts, although they never know which part Gary may be singing. That seems logical as he doesn't know which part he's going to be singing either.

In any event settle back, relax, and take comfort in the knowledge that at least three people on stage share your sense of suspense and nervous anticipation...

In February of 1981, four members of the Cascade Chorus in Eugene, Oregon, joined together to form the McKenzie Touring Company. They have been busy singing and traveling ever since. The quartet has performed on Society and Sweet Adeline shows in ten different states. After 15 years of competition, the McKTC has had both 4th and 5th place finishes in the Evergreen District Fall Contest. In the spring of 1989 and 1990 they became the Division 4 (Oregon) Champions. Additionally, in the summer of 1995 the quartet traveled to Columbus, Ohio to compete in the annual "Buckeye Invitational Comedy Quartet Contest". With their nuclear package they wowed 'em and won the contest.

Dale Fish - An original member of the quartet, rejoined the group in December of 1990. Dale has sung with three other quartets; Special Delivery, Home Cookin', and Three Good Lookin' Guys. Dale and his wife Nancy have two young sons that keep them busy at home. Dale works in the Physical Plant Cabinet Shop at the University of Oregon. He's been a member of the Eugene Chapter since his graduation from high school, and has been active in the chapter's administration. Currently, Dale is the Baritone section leader. Recreationally, he's also an avid camper and fisherman.

Tim Knight - Tim has been involved in barbershopping since 1973. He has served as the Eugene Chapter President on five occasions and was Evergreen District President in 1990 and 1991. Tim is currently the Convention Advisory Manager for the district. He works for the Lane Council of Governments in the telecommunications consortium, and has his own telecommunications business on the side. Tim is married to Rhonna, has two grown daughters, and is a grandpa too!

Marty Bauer - Marty joined the quartet in December of 1990. He joined the Eugene Chapter in 1980 and has been an active quartetter and administrator ever since. Marty too has sung in other quartets. His first quartet was Members Only. A few years later he joined with Dale as a member of Three Good Lookin' Guys. Marty is in the retirement planning sales business, and loves a variety of sports including hunting and fishing. He and his wife Deb, have a young daughter, and a baby boy, born in mid January 1996.

Gary Razer - What can you say about Gary? Serious musical student? He can't read a note! and his two heroes are Tommy Smothers and Spike Jones! Gary has always enjoyed singing for his own pleasure, but didn't join the Cascade Chorus until 1978. A middle school teacher for the past twenty years, his real claim to fame is the television commercials he does for the Les Schwab Tire Company. In his spare time he enjoys running, playing basketball, coaching kids sports and driving his quartet crazy. Gary and his wife Leanne have two children attending college.

All four men agree that performing barbershop music is a rewarding experience and they love it!

Text composed by Dale Fish

www.evg.org/~cascade/mckenzie/mck-bio.htm

Our Little Outing

I wish to thank the following people who took part in the sing-out on March 17th at the S.T.S. meeting: Lynne, Gord, Peter, Wayne, Darrell, Dave, Doug and John.

We had a hell of a good time and a good meal (especially Lynn). We got twenty-five percent of a standing ovation, and many spontaneous congratulatory comments. I especially would like to thank Gord for his spur of the moment contributions which added so much to the program. (it is these asides which make it appear that we are actually enjoying what we are doing) and for his acting as an unofficial director. Dave and Lynne also merit special mention for their added "bits". All in all you all did very well and brought credit to our organization. I'm sure that there is much more of this type of opportunity out there available to us.

Stuart Reiley

Sing-Outs

Last week, an octet from the Chorus entertained at a noon luncheon of a Retired Teachers Group. We did a half-hour show which seemed to go over fairly well - a sprinkling of quartet-type schtick - singing "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" to a lady -- stuff like that.

The thought occurred to me afterwards that this would be a good package for the whole chorus. We had 30 minutes of fairly decent singing, some audience participation, a little light humour -- all the ingredients needed for success.

Thank Stu Reiley for this one -- he did the arrangements. Now what we need are several more of these. We've got the show, we need the contacts. How about it, Chorus members? You live and work in Regina. Spread the word, we are available.

Gord Gardiner

 

GUEST NIGHT -- Every Monday Night!

Membership

Welcome back for another year of song, laughter and friendships that last a lifetime. Congratulations to

Bill Coulthard 13 years

Ryan Bird 2 years

Michael Frolich 2 years

Adam Morcom 2 years

Doug Pederson 2 years

And a special welcome to new member, Darrell Herauf, and to his sponsor Lynn Lowes for his 4th Man of Note.

Stage Presence

Group: this is the much-abbreviated version for the show. What's listed here is from Ron's notes and may change between now and then -- but please look at it and practice it (and make any revisions as may be required). We owe Ron a debt of gratitude for taking this on and standing out in front of us and trying to get us to look a little bit alive (and happy).

Whatever Happened To The Old Songs

Bar 104 "once" - Spread hand to ear, raise up and away

If I Could Write A Song

Bar 15 "harmony" - Split chorus move -- offer hand inward (to shake hands)

Whatever Happened To The Old Songs

Bar 37 "gee" - Gradually raise hands to sides until touching neighbours

Irish Blessing

Bar 18 - Open hand, palm up and slowly extend forward

When The Saints Go Marching In

Bar 45-50 - March on the spot (front row swing arms)

Five Foot Two

Bar 7 - Both hands, shoulder height, palms forward shaking

Bar 90 - Outside hand to brow (searching) move head slowly from director to audience (Ken indicates hands down, chorus continues to search in audience pointing and talking to each other)

Who's Sorry Now?

Bar 17 - Questioning hands to other side of chorus (1/4 turn)

Bar 19 - Questioning hands to director (palms up, waist high)

Bar 68 - point first finger up chest high

Bar 69 - Lean forward and point finger down toward floor (45°)

Goodnight Sweetheart

Bar 55 "goodnight" - Salute / wave, then blow a kiss

Ron Evans

Learning Tapes

We have learning tapes for most of our repertoire. Purchase tape 1 and 2 for $1.50 each. If you have an 'old' tape, turn it into Ron and get a new one with the following music on it:

Tape 1 has the following music:

Side A: Just Plain Barbershop, Young Men in Harmony (6 songs)]

Side B: Strictly Barbershop

Tape 2 has the following music

Side A:

    1. Dream
    2. Georgia On My Mind
    3. I’ll Fly Away
    4. I’m Alone
    5. I’m Sittin on Top (different version)
    6. If I Could Write A Song
    7. My Daddy’s Still Singing
    8. O’ Canada
    9. Shenandoah
    10. So Long Mother
    11. (I’ll be a) Song and Dance Man
    12. They Wrote ‘em in the Good Ol’ Days
    13. Under the Boardwalk
    14. What a Wonderful World
    15. Who’s Sorry Now
    16. Home on the Range

Side B:

    1. Irish Blessing
    2. Five Foot Two
    3. Goodnight Sweetheart
    4. Yesterday

Ron Evans

Q.C. Slickers at Swan River, Saturday March 31st

We left Regina for Swan River Saturday morning via Brandon (We had to pick up our lead Stew Wilkinson at Brandon University where one of his jazz groups had been performing that morning and the evening prior). [My wife and daughter were part of the Campbell Collegiate entourage to the Brandon Jazz Festival with Stewart and everyone thought that it was a big joke that they had left Stewart behind in Brandon - ed.]

The roads were in excellent shape and after alternating drivers a time or two we arrived at Swan River after almost 800 k's of driving.

The dinner show was sold out. This was really quite incredible since there were two other "competing functions" on at the same time - a fishing derby just north of town and a big birthday party for the town's fire chief. People had come from many miles away, including a group from Brandon.

We had prior warning that the sound system was almost non-existent at the Legion Hall, so we brought our own sound equipment along. The show essentially boiled down to two performers -- the Swan River Chorus and the Q.C. Slickers. We were "on stage" three times and darn near exhausted our repertoire! Ken Holzer had a "hacking" cold but he hung in there much better that we expected. Doug Richards added a generous sprinkling of jokes and "one liners" in order to give us a few singing breaks. The crowd seemed to enjoy it all and I would say that the "show" was an unqualified success.

After hearing the Swan River Chorus - (and this is no slight to them) it made me realize what a good sound the Golden Harvest Chorus really has. Coupled with the fact that we have a good variety of songs and even some choreography, we have just cause to feel good about ourselves. Work hard on knowing your parts guys (and I'm including myself in this)

Vic Goertzen

Mini-Hep - Clear Lake Manitoba

A friendly welcome awaits you at Sportsmans Park. Quartet Clinic, Chorus Presentation, Saturday Night Show, Sight Reading a Song, Vocal Production, How to Choreograph a Song, General Sessions, Tips on being an MC, Chorus Coaching, Special Class! Registration includes classes and general sessions, Saturday night show and Afterglow, Breakfast, Lunch and Supper on Saturday and Breakfast on Sunday, a staff of all-stars and lots of singing! All of this is a bargain at $65.00! But wait, the chapter is picking up the registration fee for attendees, so the only cost is travel and accommodation. So, make sure you get in on this great barbershop weekend. See you there…

SASKATOON Graciously Declines (whew!)

As you know, in the last issue of Sharp Notes, we challenged the Saskatoon Chapter to the Campbell’s Soup Labels contest to see who could generate the most labels for Heart Spring in a year. GREAT IDEA! BAD OPPONENT! It seems that last year alone Saskatoon brought in 55,000 labels in comparison to our 4,500.

Thankfully, the Saskatoon Chapter is also a very gracious one as they (thankfully) declined. It seems that we are already discussing a joint venture for next years show (what a break). Thanks to Saskatoon for being such great sports.

Hopefully their efforts will encourage our chapter to increase our efforts for this very worthy cause. I am going to challenge each of you to get after those labels. The sooner we start the better our chances of making a sizeable improvement on last years numbers. Let’s get started.

Doug Pederson,

Heartspring Coordinator

Letters from our Readers

I received the following wonderful note from John Leboldus.

Dear Bruce;

Please excuse the familiarity, but I feel I have met you at least in the Sharp Notes, which I enjoy.

If I remember rightly, the anniversary of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. is April 11th. Am I right? If so, the enclosed item, which entitled me to 'by line' in the Leader-Post and which I wrote when I was bulletin editor of "Sharp Notes" is one you may want to use sometime. I wish I had dated it.

Cheers

John

John: I hope you don't think me too familiar for reprinting your letter here (bulletin editors are always looking for material to print) but I'm sure all your Golden Harvest friends love to hear from you too. I've reprinted your article here in the Sharp Notes for yet another by-line to your credit. And, yes, that first invitation letter from Rupert Hall and O.C. Cash was on April 6th, 1938 and that first Barbershop meeting was on April 11th, 1938 -- 60 years ago this month.

Bruce

8 ENTERTAINMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE LEADER-POST

Tulsa man saved

barbershop singing

By J. M. LeBOLDUS

In the village barbershop the wall gaslights illuminate four men — the barber and three of his customers. As the man in the chair feels the clippers at the back of his neck, he begins to hum softly. The barber pauses, strokes his moustache, his eyes twinkle, and he hums the baritone part. The other men quickly join in and soon the room is filled with masculine voices singing close, four-part harmony.

The style of musical expression commonly known as "barbershop harmony" reached its heyday in the 1890s. For some 30 years in the 20th century barbershop quartet singing lost ground in the music halls everywhere. The small town life of the 1890s became the small and big city life of the 20th century. The juke box kept pace with the increased pulse of modern living. Many believed the old, easy style of singing was lost forever.

In 1938 one man rebelled against this trend and subsequently changed the music patterns of North America.

He was the late Owen C. Cash, tax attorney of Tulsa, Okla.

Disgusted with the seemingly endless complications of modern life, he decided to turn and fight to preserve a North American tradition. Cash found a supporter in Rupert I. Hall, an investment man of the same city.

They dictated a half-serious, half-humorous letter which they sent to some friends. It read: "In this age of dictators and government control of everything, about the only privilege guaranteed by the Bill of Rights not in some way supervised or controlled or directed is the order of barbershop quarter singing. The writers have for a long time thought that something should be done to encourage the enjoyment of this last remaining vestige of human liberty. Therefore, we have decided to hold a song-fest on the roof garden of the Tulsa Club on Monday, April 11, at 6.30 p.m."

Twenty-six men responded to this letter. A week later 70 men came to the second meeting, and 150 crowded into the Alvin Hotel for the third gathering. Cash recalls: While Blevens was leading the gang singing, someone looked out of the open second storey window and called my attention to the traffic jam. The cops were trying to get it straightened out, but we had important business so we paid no attention until a reporter, Ralph Martin of the Tulsa World came in and said he had seen cars jammed and had asked the cops about the "wreck." An officer replied, "That’s no wreck. It’s just some darn fools up there singing."

A story reporting the meeting was published in the local paper and the wire services picked it up. In a matter of weeks chapters were springing up all over the country. The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America was on its way.

Today it numbers over 32.000 men from every station in life. Cash had unwittingly struck a chord which has found response in the hearts and memories of thousands of men across the continent.

One factor contributing to the society’s fast growth was the knowledge that a man did not have to be musically trained to fit in with "barbershoppers."

It is a rule that the Society welcomes into its membership good citizens - from every walk of life who get satisfaction from being an essential part of a chord of music, whether it originates from the heart or from a musical arrangement.

Chapter organization offers not only musical self-expression but a wholesome fellowship.

Although the society encourages professional performances through an extensive contest system, it places first stress on the natural harmony of four voices, grass roots singing at its best. Active within the Society are approximately 2,000 quartets and 700 choruses.

North America is a singing continent and our voices increase in volume with each passing year. The society is an international organization. Its offices are at Kenosha, Wis., administered by an executive secretary. Outstanding leaders in business and the professional field are numbered among its executive officers and serve without remuneration. Its membership bristles with celebrities of stage and screen, radio and TV. and show big in general.

In commemoration of the founding of the society, the week of April 8 to 14 has been designated "Harmony Week" by the society’s officers, and special events. will be held in all chapters.

The Regina chapter will hold its annual parade on Saturday, April 14 at the Centre of the Arts.

Almost 60-strong the chapter counts among its members farmers, salesmen, civil servants, a doctor and an honest-to-goodness barber.

Meetings are held every Tuesday evening at 7.45 p.m. at O’Neil High School.

Once or twice a year a special ‘‘Audition for Admission" is held, but new members are taken and welcome at any time.

Bulletin Material

Thanks to this month's reporters -- Doug Pederson, Stuart Reiley, Vic Goertzen, Gord Gardiner and Ron Evans -- and a very special thanks to John Leboldus. Your contributions are appreciated by both the Sharp Notes editor and the general membership (and families). Please keep those cards and letters, faxes and emails coming. The next newsletter deadline is the last Monday of the month -- April 27th and will be available for distribution and mailing the following Monday May 4th. This is your opportunity to keep the general membership and their families informed. Articles and submissions may be submitted in any legible format. Feel free to fax me at work (751-7002); email it via the Internet to fishb@ibm.net (or bfish@cableregina.com -- any of these will find me); save it onto a diskette (just about any format should be ok); even scribble it onto a scrap of paper or on the back of an envelope as long as I can decipher it and give it to me or drop it in my mailbox. Email or diskettes are preferred since this saves me from having to retype it (and in return, you can get away with being a little late past the official Monday night deadline).

For those of you with connections to the Internet, or friends with connections, check out our bulletins and upcoming events at www.gpfn.sk.sa/culture/arts/gharvest. Our chorus picture and one from our installation of officers are up there for the world to see as well. You can also find information about the Land of Lakes District at their home page at www.mcs.com/~toma/www/pages/bbshop.lol.html -- or check out the International information at www.spebsqsa.org.

Bruce Fish

 

Chapter Executive

President - Dave Pearce

Immediate Past President - Lynn Lowes

District Delegate - Dave Pearce

Secretary - Wayne Keys

Music Director - Ken Holzer

Treasurer - Rod Schlosser

Assistant Music Director - Ron Evans

Chapter Development VP - Bruce Fish

Music & Performance VP - Ron Evans

Public Relations VP - Gord Gardiner

Quartet Promotion - Doug Pederson

Program VP - Doug Pederson

Service & Charities Chairman - Jack Boan

Bulletin Editor - Bruce Fish

Music Librarian - Wayne Keys

Chorus Manager - Stuart Reiley

Uniform Chairman - Bill Quick

Bingo Reminders - Lynn Lowes

Heartspring/Labels - Doug Pederson

Coffee Chairperson - Stuart Reiley

Show Chairman - Lynn Lowes

Learning Tapes - Ron Evans

Tag Coordinator - John Leitch

 

Live a Little -- Sing in a Quartet!

COMING EVENTS

Golden Harvest Annual Spring Show Z Y Y [ Saturday, April 18th

Executive Meeting at the hall 6:30 Monday April 20th

Red Carpet Division Contest, Willmar, MN Saturday April 25th

Deadline for articles for Sharp Notes Monday April 27th

LOL International Quartet Prelims, Eau Claire, Wisconsin May 1st-2nd

Packerland Division Contest, Wausau, WI Saturday May 9th

Potential performance on Prairie Gold Show Saturday May 30th

LOL Mini-HEP North, Clear Lake, Manitoba (Jim DeBusman) June 5th-7th

LOL Mini-HEP, La Crosse, WI June 12th-14th

Music School, Fergus Falls, MN Saturday June 20th

1998 International Convention, Atlanta, Georgia June 28th-July 5th

Harmony College, St. Joseph's MO August 2nd-9th

LOL District Contest, Fargo, North Dakota October 23rd-25th

COTS/Top Gun, Bloomington, MN December 4th-6th

Articles in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views of the chapter. Unless carrying a byline, they are those of the editor. Items received may be referred to the executive before publication. All chapter officers and members are encouraged to submit articles to the Sharp Notes. Submissions will be credited to the author. Please address any comments, suggestions or submissions to the editor -- Bruce Fish.

(Tags from Marty's Tag Archive at http://www.evg.org/~theshop)

Deadline for the May 1998 Sharp Notes is Monday, April 27th.

Distribution the following Monday, May 4th.

Recycle this bulletin - Pass it on to your family and friends!