| Golden Memories | SWD International Quartet Champions |
| and quartetting demanded much of their time.
When the Society was organized in 1938, it didn't take a detective to figure out that OK City would be the site of a new chapter and the Flat Foots would become members. In the first national contest held in Tulsa in 1939 they competed with Scanland singing baritone. They only placed fourth. They won the quaiif~~ing state contest in the spring of 1940 by a wide margin and won the right to travel to New York City and the Worlds Fair for the Second Annual National Convention and Contest. The second contest took place on July 26, 1940 and was judged by such celebrities as former New York Governor Al Smith, Mayor La Guardia, Fred Waring, Sigmund Spaeth, Geoffrey O'Hara (composer of The OW Songs), Harry Armstrong (composer of Sweet Adeline) and O.C Cash. Instrumental accompaniment was permitted but scarcely used. There were 200 other quartets in that competition. Serving With Harmony Following their win and their becoming our "World Champions", they made hundreds of appearances nationwide. They were named the official American Legion |
Quartet for the state of Oklahoma. Since
the Flat Foot Four's inception, every man who had sung with the quartet
had been a World War I veteran.
Thanks to Columbia Records, they were one of the first quartets signed to produce a recording. The four record set of 78s includes all their standards: Annie Laurie, Old Aunt Dinah, Ride Tenderfoot Ride, Oh Joe, Maggie Blues, My Mother's Rosary, Harbor Lights Yodel, and Shine. As "model policemen", they also served the community on the job. Whalen was well known for his work with area children. Giving lectures for schools and just tallung to kids he served the people he protected. His outgoing personality gained him many friends and much respect among his peers. On September 6th, 1941, The Flat Foot Four sang at the Phillips Petroleum Company Community House southeast of OKC. On the way home, Johnny Whalen suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was rushed to the hospital. He died a week later at the age of 44. The story was front page news and reading the coverage, one can see that all of Oklahoma City suffered in the loss. Both the Bartlesville Barflies (1939 champs) and The Chord Busters (1941 champs) sang during the service. |
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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