Golden Memories    SWD Chapters


Previous Page		 PERMIAN BASIN, TX
Sun Country Gentlemen
by Bill Shaner
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The Midland chapter of west Texas' Division 1, was first sponsored by the old Odessa chapter and received its first charter on December 29, 1961 It relinquished its charter in 1979. It was able to re­group and acquired its second and current charter on September 17, 1984.
The economy of Midland and the Permian Basin depended for many years on the petroleum industry and for that reason developed a rather transient membership of men who, for the most part, took their newly acquired skills and avocation to many other chapters of the Society in the U.S. and some international locations.
Former Midland member Joel Empie started a chapter In Tripoli, Lybia. Bob Hintermeir, who maintains his membership in Midland, sings in Abu Dhabi. Will Corner one of our past presidents sang with New York, Houston and is currently in China. David Frye a past tenor with the Mayor's Fourum moved to Houston and is currently in Java. Russell Shaner, James Patterson and Jim Renfro all have won gold with the Vocal Majority. Leo Mitchell, Jerry Banks, Bill Cormack, Kevin Scheppel, Cecil Morris, Jerry Collins, Will Sass, Jim Womack, Bob Valerius,		  Dick Dainels, Anthony Bolin, Burgess Cook, Lynn
Trapp, Jim Jackson and Lanny Kriest are just a
few of the men who have sung with and served the
Midland chapter and moved on over the years.
The chapter has had several quartets over the years. One, The Gold Dusters, featured Jim Renfro, Buster Parker, Bill McSpadden and John Stone. Thane Akins and Bill Shaner have sung with Bill Southerland, Tom Laney, Tom Roberts, Dick Daniels, James Patterson, Jim Renfro, Bill Cormack, in foursomes called the Sun Spots, Lads of the High Sky, Cactus Sharps. They currently sing in the Mayor's Fourum with Southerland and Sam Carter, the chapter's dtrector. Midland's other active quartet is the Final Foursome with Dwight Cook, Gene Smith, Lynn Fite and Raymond Kennedy.
The optimism of the chapter is unfailing. Under the leadership of President Lynn Fite, we are pushing the Harold Hill Program, preparing for several local singout programs, and hosting the Division I competition in 1996. In 1997 we are presenting an annual show. We invite everyone to visit one of our Monday night meetings.

 
 
 
 
 

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