and learning from such legends as Harlan Wilson, Billy Ball, Bert Staffen, Jack Hines, Mac Huff and Don Clause, they were a new" quartet. They also returned with 54 hours of audio tape of their sessions to help them retain the techniques taught. The young VM also learned this information as the DC were section leaders and passed along the information gained.
The Dealer's Choice was excited and anxious to try out their new sound for the judges at the 1972 Lubbock Region 5 prelims. They won by a huge 150 point margin and felt confident that this was the start of something big.
In their professional lives Al was a teacher at SMU, Bill had his own advertising/sales promotion agency, Brian was a professional jingle singer and musician, and Gary worked as an actuary-trainee for Southwestern Life Insurance Company.
With coaching from Ray Anthony and Nancy Bergman, the DC competed in the district contest in October of '72. It was a two-horse race from the start between them and the up-and-coming Innsiders. The DC surprised even their closest friends with a special touch of original stage presence. While starting their last song, You Can Have Every Light On Broadway, they loosened their ties, Bill removed his coat and in a "Sinatra-like-move" hung it over his shoulder in a rare casual stance. That might have made the difference. The Dealer's Choice won by only 8 points in that nail-bitingly close San Antonio contest.
The battle to be one of the two Southwestern District quartets going to Portland was fought in Port Arthur in March of 1973. The DC won the contest and worked with