Lubbock sent their best quartet, The Plainsmen. From Wichita Falls came the Pipeliners. The McMurry College and Hardin-Simmons University Male Choruses helped fill out the program. The only local quartet on that first show was made up of member students from H.S.U., The Wranglin' Wranglers. The top billing went to the Boresome Foursome of Oklahoma City, The Wintergarden Four of San Antonio and a nationally known female quartet, The Chordettes from Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

The second annual show on May 20, 1950 raised a like amount for the same cause. The show program lists the chorus as the Tune-Clippers, under the direction of Robert J. Tiffany. A new quartet, of rising popularity on the local scene, The Crude-Oilers featured Jack Stovall - tenor, Guy M. "Binx" Walker - lead, James Russell - bari, and R.H. Martin - bass. Invited quartets were, again, The Plainsmen and The Pipeliners, a second Lubbock quartet the Note-Ables, and the Boresome Foursome. The "headliners" were The Four Kernels from Omaha, Nebraska and the first and recently crowned SWD quartet champions, the Beau Jesters from Dallas.

The third and fourth annual productions (1951 & 1952) raised funds for Abilene Boy's Ranch. Mter show expenses and chapter operations budget, checks of $1,750 were presented each year to that charity.

Through those early years and until 1970, the chapter met in the ballroom of the Windsor Hotel in downtown Abilene. Many of the community's civic leaders, and prominent citizens were recruited into its ranks. Some chapter presidents after "Bud" Perini include: Guy Shaw, Milt McKenzie, Jay Diezer, Frank Conselman, P.S. Kendrick, Sr.

Mter five years and five successful quartet shows at Abilene High School Auditorium, the chapter took on an entirely new challenge for their annual entertainment. On Saturday, May 1, 1954 the annual SWD regional prelims were held at Radford Memorial Auditorium on the campus of McMurry College. Proceeds from this convention were donated to Texas Garden Clubs, Inc., "for use in Gardo therapy".

The format of the 1955 and 1956 productions returned to the "Annual Harmony Show and Parade of Quartets" at Abilene High School Auditorium. By 1955, Abilene Junior Service League's special education classroom had now become the Taylor County Society for Crippled Children, Inc. In 1956, the T.C.S.C.C. had sponsored and launched the West Texas Rehabilitation Center Currently, the W.T.R.C. has a branch clinic in San Angelo and

The featured local quartets were: Key City Four with Reese Foster, tenor; Biruc Walker, lead; Dave Bedford, bari; and Bruce Clark, bass; and a high school quartet, The Eagle-Airs with Don (son of member Carlos) Ferguson - tenor, Edwin Broesher (a member) - lead, Jerry Don Landers - bari, and John Burkett - bass.

It may be noted how many quartet names reflect the force that drove the economy of the southwest in the post war years of the 50's and 60's. When government regulation of the oil industry occurred in 1958, the effect on the life-styles and livelihoods of chapter members was not immediate. Yet, change accelerated from that time forward.

Much effort was made to coax a popular music director at the First Baptist Church to chapter meetings at the Windsor, to no avail. Music minister, Joe Liles moved away to San Antonio, never to experience the thrill of a barbershop chord. Or so we thought.

Chapter founder Bud" Perini died on Saturday, February 20, 1965. He was buried in a little cemetery at Buffalo Gap, Texas on the following Tuesday. The Simpletones Quartet: Reese Foster-tenor, Farrel Reeder-lead, David Bedford-bari, Bruce Clark-bass, sang a final tribute at the graveside rites for V.C. Perini.

Membership had declined to eight or nine men by the end of the 60's. From 1970 to 1972 the chapter met in the hospitality room at the Bank of Commerce, South 14th at South Willis. In these years the chapter did not produce an annual show.

As Division I Counselor, Bruce Clark had found a way to keep the Abilene chapter alive, when other chapters had withered and died (Wichita Falls and San Angelo among others). He transferred willing individuals into Abilene roster. The effort was honestly to keep these men active and involved.

Membership drives increased attendance to the point that in the spring of '73 the chapter secured a new home in the Parish Hall of the Heavenly Rest Episcopal Church, S.6th and Meanden The chorus, under the direction of Bruce Clark, changed its name to The Big Country Chorus.

For the first time in some years the chapter