Golden Memories Page 103

Golden Memories SWD Chapters

GREATER LITTLE ROCK, AR
Diamond State Chorus
by George Tribble

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Diamond State Chorus - Terry Mercing, Director

The Greater Littie Rock chapter is a grandchild of the Memphis, Tennessee, chapter. In the fall of 1952, says a newspaper article in 1954, seven barbershoppers from Memphis came over to Stuttgart. Arkansas to "evangelize", an apt expression.
Stuttgart was, and is, a small town in a rice farming area in the Mississippi River delta country of southwest Arkansas, whose claim to fame Is as the "Duck Capital of the World". It is there that the world Duck Calling Championships are held each year. But in 1952, a far different sound was heard:
that of four part singing called barbershop harmony. They soon attracted the attention of a foursome from the Little Rock area who had been singing barbershop music since 1950 under the name "The Four Specs". They joined the Grand Prairie Chorus and sang with the Stuttgart group for a couple of years, but they grew weary of the 120 mile round trip each week and decided to start their own chapter in Litfie Rock.
On March 5,1955 these four, Fred Holder, Jr., Dr. Joe Norton, W. H. (Bill) Bard, and Richard H. Hawn, called an organizational meeting at the School for the Blind and attracted two dozen others to found a local chapter. Roland Hawn was the first chapter president, Fred Garner was elected vice president, Ray Lowry became secretary, and Bill Bard was the initial treasurer, while Fred Holder, Jr. became the first Dixie District board representative. None of the founders are still with the chapter, but at least

two are still in the area. The music director was Tandy V. Allen.
The chapter was a part of the Drxie District, and the performing chorus was called "The Capitol City Chorus". Barely nine months later, in December 1955, they produced their first show, calling it the "First Annual Parade of Harmony", a common name for barbershop shows at the time. They were assisted by the Grand Prairie Chorus and a quartet, "The Arkords", from Stuttgart, and "The Confederates" from Memphis (Dixie District champions and International silver medallsts in both 1954 and 1955). Two quartets from the Greater Litfie Rock chapter appeared on the show: The Four Specs (because they all wore glasses?) and a newly formed foursome called "The Capitolaires".
The next several years saw the Greater Litfie Rock chapter grow and prosper. By early 1956 there was a chapter newsletter, "The HARM-O-NOTES", and the Chapter president was writing notes to members and their families. The chapter produced several quartets, competed in contests, and had a string of "Parade of Harmony" shows and other events for the benefit of deserving groups around the city. One such beneficiary was the Exceptional Children's School in Litfie Rock. A special show was produced in March of 1961 that earned $2,400 for a new van for the school. The MC for the second show was Chester H. Lauck, better known as Lum as in "Lum and Abner".
The Greater Littie Rock chapter has spawned

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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