Golden Memories Page 125

Golden Memories SWD Chapters

NACOGDOCHES,TX
The Timbretones
by Forrest Price

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In April of 1972 a meeting was called by five or six interested men in Nacogdoches, Texas, for the purpose of forming a local chapter of SPEBSQSA. Bill McWhorter, a local attorney came to town with a music degree and several years of experience in the Austin-San Antonio area, and several others joined him in forming a chorus with the encouragement of the chapter in Longview.
By September there were 25 active members and a formal group with Ken Wood, president and Berton Howard, Jerry Lackey, Tom Lee, and Leon Manning as active officers. Bill McWhorter was music director. They immediately began to schedule performances for public events and local service organizations. Within six months, meetings were also scheduled in Luikin and in some of the surrounding towns to support members from those communities and expand participation and membership toward the 35 needed for a charter. The charter was received January 13, 1973 and has been continuously active since that date.
The first annual show was staged on October 6, 1973. The estimated attendance was 700. The featured quartet was the Stage Door Four. The audience response was excellent and the success on stage was matched with good financial support and favorable press so the opportunity for long term stability was at hand. Twenty-two years of good music, entertainment, support, recognition, pleasure, learning, companionship and a few tears of disappointment and ofjoy have followed.
While the Nacogdoches-Lufkin area is separated from large cities and public transportation, the Timbretones have maintained close contact with adjacent chapters of the Society with manyjoint shows and events with Monroe and Shreveport, Louisiana, Longview, Palestine and Spring, Texas, and have exchanged quartets and other groups many times. Individual members have frequenfly learned the craft in Nacogdoches and have moved on to other groups as employment and personal ambitions dictated. Representation at division, district and International events has always been good by those who remained with the Timbretones.
Stability of membership and participation is always a challenge. The city of Nacogdoches is host to a residential university so about one-third of the population is temporary (average student body of

12,000) and the activities offered by the University in high-quality music, arts and athletic programs are stiff competition for the time and talents of the base community. Nevertheless, the Timbretones have produced a major show each year beginning in 1973 featuring quartets such as: Folkel Minority, 40 Acre 4, The Texas Genflemen, Class of the 80's, Vocal Orchestration Corporation, Pride of the Marsh, The Inns-'N-Outts, Deuces Wild, Starlight Knights, The Texans and Players. A parade of local quartets has also been used.
Irrimary activities of the chorus and occasional sub-groups have been serving the entertainment needs of the local communities, service clubs, festivals, churches, health organizations, businesses, groups and individuals. The Timbretones have also consistently received commendations over the years for contributions to the Institute of Logopedics (Heartspring) and in 1994 were awarded the Southwest district award for the largest contributions of any chapter in the District. Local charities are regularly included, particularly those involving speech and hearing problems and children.
The highest level, reached by the Timbretones in competition was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1974 when the Mardi Gras Chorus of New Orleans took the Region 3 championship. However, many quartets have sprouted to serve the local area and the district. Probably the most colorful and enduring example is the Genflemen Gems of the middle and late 70's consisting of the Rogers brothers (Bill and John) of Center, Ralph Vallone and Irv Engelbrecht, both of Luldin. Bill Rogers arranged their music and is still active in another chorus and Irv Engelbrecht is now the lead singer in Four the Moment, a top-ten quartet in the Southwestern District.
The fortunes of most chapters tend to rise and fall with the leadership available. Example being, Bill McWhorter returned to lead us as director in 1994. While some of the early participants, Bobby Johnson, John Decker, Roland Bunge, John Pope and Jim Dennis are still on hand for guidance and participation, direction and skills, new administrative and music leadership continues to grow and develop toward a second quarter-century for the East Texas Timbretones.

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Table of
Contents

Sections:
How It All Began Chapters Chapter Histories International Quartet Champions Choruses Administration
Contests and Conventions Registered Quartets Publications Recognitions In Conclusion