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GOLDEN MEMORIES

Origins

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He met Corinne Downing in 1918 and they married a year later (said to have eloped) on December 20th in Muskogee. Thirteen years later they had their only child, Betty Anne, who still resides In Tulsa and shares her father's love of harmony. O.C. was a devoted family man. His pride in his wife and child, who attended most conventions, was apparent even though he kept much of his home life private and very seldom included it in his writings.

In 1930 he began working for Stanolind Oil, a pipe line subsidiary, as a tax attorney. He held this position for 12 years. In 1942 Cash became a tax commissioner. These positions allowed him to travel around the country where in his spare time he promoted the new society, visited chapters and sang with anyone who needed a baritone.

Even though he was the Society's Founder, he was often found during conventions in the hotel lobby visiting with and singing with his peers, the "common folk". O.C. was also known to really enjoy listening to the quartets. He would often "ooh and ahh" during performances. Many chords brought him to tears. His favorite song was Sweet Roses of Morn.

Cash always claimed (tongue in cheek) to be the "world greatest baritone". Early on he was encouraged to take a high office in the young barbershop Society he inspired. He chose to hold the self Imposed, unique, and unofficial position of "Permanent Third Assistant Temporary Vice-Chairman."

Many remember him riding up and down on the elevators at conventions, teaching anyone and everyone all four parts to . . (all sing) . . . "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose... In Ire... LAND!!!" He LOVED that last chord.

Cash was also well known for the 34 popular columns he wrote for the Harmonizer from 1941 through 1953. In these columns he covered such topics as "Deef Judges", "Wimmin Quartets", recent conventions and very interesting stories about boyhood days. Like Will Rogers, he was a humorist and a master story teller. He greatly enjoyed talking to Rotarians, Kiwanians, etc. His stories were robust, clever, and often exaggerated although he was able to make his characters and their entertaining experiences seem real.

Like all true Oklahomans, Cash was a full-blooded Democrat but F.D.R. was a dirty word at home and seldom mentioned. In addition to cigars, Cash liked "brains and eggs" for breakfast (despite his doctor's wishes).

His favorite times were weekends when his quartet, The Okie Four, would visit for an evening, usually about once a month. Bill Downing (tenor), Frank Rice (lead), and Fred Graves (bass) would bring their wives and kids and something for the pot luck supper. Mter supper, the kids would play upstairs, the wives would retire to the kitchen and the Okies would sing in the living room for hours. To call this a rehearsal would be a stretch. They just got together and sang. The Okie Four weren't known as the best but had fun singing and it showed in their performance and their PR stationery:

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