| Golden Memories |
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Chapters |
| Lewis, then-International President, was present.
When Gerry Swenson was transferred in early 1958, Blair Walker took over as director. We continued to sing well and began holding annual shows. The first was a smashing success with The Four Hearsemen headlining the show supported by The Cavaliers, The Syncopets (a Sweet Adeline quartet in their first-ever show) as well as two chapter quartets, The Chem-Tones and The Coastalaires. We succeeded in presenting a great show the first time out. Many benefit performances and district contests spawned many quartets over the next few years. We went to Abilene to contest and were given copies of the prized Abilene Woodshed Book to compete in singing more than one part. We still think of the great fun and hospitality extended by Farrel Reeder, Bruce Clark and many others from the Abilene chapter. The most memorable happening in the early years was due to our director Blair Walker being |
transferred to a new job in Birmingham, Alabama.
The chapter decided to give Blair a surprise, Ralph Edwards-type, 'This
Is Your Barbershop Life" party. A local bank hired Blair's quartet as a
ruse to get him to the banquet, while we put together a great scrapbook
of his time as director.
We set up the room with an old-fashioned barber chair up front, screens to hide special guests, and a tape recorder and movie camera to recall the night. Dr. Jim Bauer developed a script that relived Blair's Barbershop life in Victoria. This included reassembling all the old quartets, out-of-town, guests, and special songs directed by Blair. One of the highlights of the night was the following poem written by a chapter member and read during the program honoring Blair. We like to think it captures what Barbershopping is all about: Tonight, from Swenson's old crew (the ranks are thin!), From the old
thirty-three someone's leaving again.
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Toast of the Coast, 1964 - Jim Bauer, Director
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Contents |
Page |
How It All Began Chapters Chapter Histories International Quartet Champions ChorusesAdministration
Contests and Conventions Registered Quartets Publications Recognitions In Conclusion