December, 2008, #2

Christmas Issue 2008
What Fun It Is To Sing During The Holidays!

December Business Meeting/Dinner

On Saturday, December 13, we gathered at Anthe's at the Lake for the Annual December Business Meeting/Dinner. The total attendance (chapter members and guests) was 87. Thanks to Jim Elliott for his work organizing and coordinating this event. After a delicious meal, it was time for the business part of the evening.
The feature event of the night was the awarding of the 2008 Larry Neal Memorial Award, also known as the Barbershopper of the Year (BOTY) Award. Last year's winner, Jerry Mason, announced the winner of the award to be Kirk Roose, director of the Derbytown Chorus. Congratulations, Kirk and thank you for all your work on behalf of our Chapter, our District and our Society. (Note: Kirk could not be at the dinner. The bulletin will include a picture of Kirk and his award in a later issue.)
The 2009 Board members were also officially installed during the meeting. Congratulations to all new and returning members of the Board and good wishes for a successful year. Special congratulations to Wil Veith, our 2009 President. Also, a large thank you to Ray Stone for his multiple-year tenure as President.
The evening concluded with singing by the chorus and chapter quartets. A very appropriate finish to a great event.

We're On The Move

In January of 2009, we will be moving to a new rehearsal location. Tuesday, January 13 will be our first rehearsal at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 North Prospect Street, Akron. In preparation for this move, a group of chapter members met at Saint Bernard's on Saturday morning, December 13, to organize and sort our chapter inventory of music and equipment. The next item on the agenda is the actual moving of these materials, which will take place on Saturday, January 10. All chapter members are invited to participate in this job. The more, the merrier. Who knows? There might even be singing (Hi, Ho.......).

First Night

On Wednesday, December 31, The Akron Derbytown Chorus will sing at Saint Bernard's Church as part of the 13th Akron First Night Celebration. We sing from 9:00 pm to 9:50 pm. The chorus has been involved in every First Night. The uniform of the evening is TUXEDO. Please be there, dressed and ready to warm-up at 8:15. There is a sign-up sheet at rehearsals.

BOTM For November

Congratulations to Stan Martin for being selected as Barbershopper of the Month for November, 2008. Stan coordinated the chorus participation in the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign at Chapel Hill Mall and also played a major role in our assessment of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church as a potential rehearsal location.

Ten Ways To Help Your Chapter
(11-20 of the total list of 100)

11. Take your camera to chorus functions, and turn in the pictures to your history book/scrapbook person.

12. Subscribe to the "Harmonet," print out hints & suggestions that look applicable to your chorus and pass them on.

13. Talk to two or three people (before, during break or after rehearsal) that you normally don't talk to.

14. When you are at social gatherings, quartet performances, etc., always talk about your chapter; you never know where your next guest might be.

15. Surprise an ill member with a card or a phone call. Call an absent member, and let them know you missed them.

16. Offer to clean the chapter's storage facility or update the inventory.

17. Keep your comments to yourself concerning choreography and costumes, especially when on the risers.

18. Learn your part (words, notes, choreography, stage presentation) early so you can help the slow learners & new people.

19. Offer to carpool with others when possible.

20. Learn to use a pitch-pipe, and then memorize the keys to songs in the chorus repertoire.

Birthdays

Ed Crosley 12/27

Mike Neff 12/27
Jim Elliott 1/11
Jim Wolfe 1/11

Chapter Quartet News

Many singing groups find themselves in demand during the holidays. Clear Choice, one of our chapter quartets has been very busy. The quartet includes: Dan Nichols, tenor; Ray Stone, lead; Jim Elliott, bass; Bill Halter, baritone. Here are some of their recents "gigs".

Friday, November 28- John S. Knight Center, Akron, entertaining at the Annual Akron Children's Hospital Christmas Tree Festival

Saturday, November 29- Barberton Holiday Kick-Off for the Salvation Army. Sang a few songs at the gazebo on the shores of Lake Anna; did a 30 minute show for about 250 people at the Magic Theater in downtown Barberton; finished the evening by singing at the Red Kettle near the Salvation Army headquarters.

Friday, December 12- sang at a luncheon for Hudson city employees at the American Legion Hall in Hudson.

Friday, December 19- did a 30 minute show for employees of The Crystal Clinic (about 350 people) at Guy's Party Center, Akron.

Christmas Wishes From The Bulletin Staff

Editor: Barry Tone

Reporter: Bob R. Shoppe

Cub Reporter: Eugene "Pitch" Pipe

For all those who enjoy singing, this time of year is especially full of joy. All of us on the bulletin staff want to wish all Derbytown barbershoppers and friends of the chorus a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The next bulletin issue will be on Monday, January 12 and will originate from North Fort Myers, Florida. Information and pictures that you would like to have included in future bulletin issues can still be sent to the bulletin email address, derbytown08@gmail.com

Christmas Music

In this special Christmas issue, it seemed appropriate to include a variety of holiday music. The following items are not meant to overwhelm you. You can look at them all at one sitting or check them out over a period of time. The two phonograph clips are for those who remember when recorded music meant 78RPM, not MP3.

Storm Front

Spike Jones

Lindley Armstrong (Spike) Jones and his City Slickers were known for doing satirical versions of popular songs. This clip features the distinctive voice of George Rock.

Jimmy Boyd

Jimmy recorded this song just before his 13th birthday.

Bing Crosby

If you want to be an honorary bulletin "investigative" reporter, see if you can discover the name of the quartet that provides the male voices in the back-up vocals on Bing's 1942 recording. They had a rather varied and important career on their own. The only hint is these four words: Fibber McGee and Molly. The hint might mean more to the more mature members of the Chapter. If you can't find the answer, or if you just don't care, the answer will be in the next bulletin issue.

The Drifters

This recording features Bill Pinkney, lead bass and Clyde McPhatter, tenor. The very clever cartoon is the work of Joshua Held.

December, 2008, #1

Tree Festival Sing-Out

Many members of The Derbytown Chorus gathered at the John S. Knight Center at noon on Wednesday, November 26. We had been invited to sing as part of the Akron Children's Hospital Annual Tree Festival. Under the direction of Dan Nichols (aka Santa), we sang both Christmas and barbershop songs for an appreciative audience. Thanks to all who helped to make this performance happen.

The Summit Chordsmen In Wadsworth

The Summit Chordsmen, a chapter quartet, entertained at the Christmas Candle Walk in downtown Wadsworth on Friday, November 21. Lead, Jim Heaton; Bass, Mike Sitter; Baritone, Jerry Mason; and Tenor, Mike Halter sang for festival patrons in a very appropriate location, a barbershop. The Chordsmen say that there was a steady stream of eager listeners through the shop between the hours of 6 and 8. Shop owner, Melissa Vetter was serenaded when the quartet sang "Little Darlin'", specifically for her.

The Songs We Sing

(Who Was That Reindeer, Anyway?)

At our rehearsal on November 25, as we sang "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer", a question was raised about the correct name for Rudolph's colleague, Donner. The name Donder was mentioned as another possibility. After a little research, it turns out that this question is more complicated than we thought. It's actually not something that could be resolved in this publication, but here is a brief description of the controversy. If you stick to the the period from about 1950 to the present, the name Donner is correct, because that is the name given to the reindeer by the composer of the song. Johnny Marks wrote the song in 1949, using the character that had been developed by his brother-in-law, Robert L. May , for a 1939 Montgomery Ward ad campaign. It became a big hit for Gene Autry, the singing cowboy. The questionable part relates to the time before the song was written. In the song, the list of reindeer relates to those listed in that famous poem, " A Visit From Saint Nicholas". The last two names in the list, Donner and Blitzen, are the German words for thunder and lightning. Since the poem is attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who is of German descent, this makes sense. But in 1823, the poem, published anonymously in a New York newspaper, uses Dunder and Blitzem (Dutch) as the reindeer names. Music historians claim that the poem was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr. who was Dutch. Moore's association with the poem did not come about until he included it in a publication of his poems in 1844. The name Donder is also found in some copies of the poem. There is still some controversy about the true origin of this poem. Luckily for us, we are dealing with the post 1950 song lyrics and Donner is correct in that case.

Birthdays

Dwight Dieckman 12/10
Jerry Mason 12/21
Robert McMillan 12/18
D'Artanyon Stanard 12/20

Recent Visitor

On 11/25, Ron Weaver was a guest at our rehearsal. Many chapter members knew Ron from the past and he contributed much to our meeting. Ron is shown below teaching a tag during the afterglow.

100 Ways To Help Your Chapter

We are starting this feature, listing 10 items each issue for the next 10 issues. It's encouraging to note that many of our members are already doing these activities. This list was collected from the Harmonet by Kim Benner, Singing Buckeyes, Columbus Ohio.

1.) Bring a guest to rehearsal once a year.
2.) Show up early and help set up the risers.
3.) At the end of rehearsal, help take down the section of risers you are standing on.
4.) Thank the director for all his/her effort.
5.) Thank your chorus administration for all their work.
6. Bring in doughnuts on your "barbershop anniversary" night - bring in a special treat for after rehearsal.
7. Don't talk on the risers; and don't let others talk on the risers.
8. Smile. Act like you're enjoying your hobby, and show it (let the director know you're "really" there).
9. Take your quartet to retirement homes, and share your hobby. Family members are often there visiting and recruiting new members is part of your performance.
10. Volunteer to do a little more than you really want to in fundraising or committee work.

Now It's Official

New member, Cory Hornish, received his official membership materials at our 12/2 meeting. Cory, on the left, is shown below with D'Artanyon Stanard, whose efforts brought Cory into our chapter. Congratulations to both young singers.

The Latest Tag From James Estes

Watch for the next issue of the bulletin on Monday, December 22

Bulletin Extra

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, a group of chapter members took a tour of Trinity Lutheran Church. We were evaluating the social hall and some related rooms as a potential rehearsal location. You can get an idea of what we saw by clicking on the picture below and viewing the album. Be patient if the pictures seem out of focus at first, it will clear up. You can also change the viewing time for each picture to get a longer view. Captions have been added to some pictures to give a little more background information. As with any location, there are pros and cons. These will be discussed at the board meeting on Monday, December 8th.

Trinity Lutheran

November, 2008, #2

Happy Thanksgiving

Even though the holiday season can be hectic and world events are, at times, stressful, it is good to take time to think about all the things in our lives for which we are thankful. As barbershoppers, we appreciate the music of this time of year. Songs like Over The River And Through The Woods and We Gather Together bring back many memories of past Thanksgivings. Let's look at some lyrics of two more Thanksgiving songs that express the spirit of this holiday.

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Sir George J. Elvey (1816-1893), organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle for nearly fifty years, wrote the music to this hymn about 1844. The lyrics are by Henry Alford (1810-1871)

Come ye thankful people come
Raise the song of harvest home
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin
God our maker doth provide
For our wants to be supplied
Come to God's own temple come
Raise the song of harvest home

Now Thank We All Our God

By Martin Rinkart (1586-1649), based on Ecclesiasticus 50:22-24. Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878), music by Johann Cruger (1598-1662), harmony by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices
Who wondrous things has done
In whom this world rejoices
Who from our mothers' arms
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today

In conclusion, here with a Thanksgiving message is
Moose A. Moose

Two Important Reminders

#1 We will be singing on Wednesday, November 26, at the John S. Knight Center, as part of the 27th annual Akron Children's Hospital Tree Festival. All Chapter members are invited. Please be there in time to warm up at 11:30. Wear the red chorus shirts (or white Matinee Singers shirts if you don't have the red one). Black pants and shoes, also. We will be singing Christmas songs plus others, so bring your holiday songbook if you have one.

#2 The 2008 December Dinner Meeting will be held at Anthe's At The Lakes on Saturday, December 13. The address is 4315 Manchester Road, Akron. There will be an open bar at 6:00 followed by dinner at 7:00. The cost for guests is $25 (chapter members are paid for by the chapter). Dinner choices are: lemon herb chicken, Swiss steak, or broiled scrod. Your entree choice needs to be made by Tuesday, December 2. Chapter officers will be installed at this meeting and the 2008 BOTY award will be presented.

Birthdays

Since no chapter members are celebrating birthdays between 11/24 and 12/7, we are recognizing composer Scott Joplin, who was born on November 24, 1868. Most people associate Scott Joplin with ragtime music, but much of his early experiences were associated with quartet singing. In 1894, he founded the Texas Medley Quartet, which he took on tour. This was actually a double quartet that included two of Scott's brothers, Will and Robert. A more in depth description of Scott Joplin's quartet connections can be found in the book, Four Parts, No Waiting. A Social History of American Barbershop Harmony. This book was written by Gage Averill and was published in 2003. Maybe you could ask Santa for a copy of this book.

You're As Welcome As The Flowers In May
Guests at our 11/18 meeting
(l to r) Tom Andrjwski and Ben Brown

The Songs We Sing

When You And I Were Young Maggie

George Washington Johnson, a teacher in Ontario in 1859, became enamored with a local young lady named Maggie Clark, one of his students and three years his junior. As part of his courtship, he wrote a poem entitled, When You And I Were Young, in which he told of his hopes for their long life together. The poem was published in Canada in a collection called Maple Leaves. George and Maggie were married in 1864. After a short time in Buffalo, NY, the couple moved to Cleveland, OH. Tragically, on May 12, 1865 after only seven months of marriage, Maggie passed away. George returned to Canada and became a professor of languages at the University of Toronto. He died in Pasadena California in 1917.

James Butterfield had a music publishing business in Indianapolis, IN. He read George's poem, liked it and set it to music in 1866. It is not known if George and James ever met.

The Society's Heritage of Harmony Songbook has a great arrangement of this song.

Here is a video of a quartet from Australia singing "Maggie".

Slightly Off Key

by Bulletin reporter, Bob R. Shoppe. Comments made by Mr. Shoppe are not necessarily those of the chapter or any other human beings on the planet.

Do you notice anything odd about that Australian quartet in the video above? Those guys are way too skinny. I am pretty sure that there is something in the Society bylaws that says that at least one guy in any registered quartet has to weigh more than 200 pounds.

Misunderstood Lyrics

We have all heard about the importance of making sure that your audience can understand what you are singing. Here is an illustration of what can happen, using Joe Cocker's Woodstock performance as an example.

The next bulletin issue will be on Monday, December 8

November 2008, #1

Veteran's Day

On Tuesday, Nov. 11th, we celebrate Veteran's Day. On that day, we honor all men and women, both living and deceased, who have served their country in the armed forces. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11th as Armistice Day. This was to commemorate the end of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1954, Congress changed the day to Veteran's Day.

Show Committee Meeting

There will be a meeting of the Show Committee on November 17th, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Goss Memorial Church, 2247 11th Street S.W., Akron, Ohio.

Annual Dinner Meeting

Here is another reminder about the Annual Dinner Meeting. This year, we will gather at Anthe's on the Lake, 4315 Manchester Road, on Saturday, December 13th. A cash bar will open at 6:00 and dinner will be at 7:00. Chapter members are free and guests are $25.(Note: This is a $5 increase from the price quoted earlier) There are three menu choices: lemon herb chicken, swiss steak, or broiled scrod. The deadline to sign up is December 2nd. We will also be awarding BOTY that night so fill out your ballot forms soon.

Strange Sightings

The three "guests" in the picture below showed up at rehearsal on October 28th. Maybe we should be more selective when we hand out those Chapter cards.

Seriously, enjoying the Halloween spirit are (l to r), John Lilley, Vic Estafen and Bill Halter.

Happy Birthday!


Jim Regallis 11/16
Frank Andrews 11/22
Nick Rothermel 11/22


Society Video Tags

The BHS has started an online program that teaches tags, using video clips. Here is an example below, featuring James Estes. James visited our chapter a couple of years ago.

JAD and BHS Links

If you haven't been checking the links at the upper right hand corner of the bulletin page, you may be overlooking some important information. JAD and BHS information is not usually included in the bi-monthly bulletin because you can get it through these links. For example, the JAD site currently includes: (1) a discussion of COTS (not called COTS anymore) that is coming up in January (2) an article about Cadillac Jack, our District quartet champs and much more. The BHS website has sometimes been down recently, so if you try to go there and nothing happens, try again later.

The Songs We Sing

You Are My Sunshine

This song was first recorded in 1939, by The Pine Ridge Boys. It was a country song at that time, but has taken on many other identities over the years, including of course, barbershop. If you want to check out some versions of this song on YouTube, look for the duet of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, the Ray Charles blues version and a Doris Day polka rendition.

Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell are the credited songwriters of "You Are My Sunshine". Davis bought the song and rights from Paul Rice and put his name on it. This was not unusual in the pre-WWII music business. When Jimmie Davis ran for governor of Louisiana, he played up his connection to the song, singing it at all his rallies while riding a horse named "Sunshine". Maybe it helped because he served as governor from 1944-1948.

Here is a video of of a fictitious, western swing group called Jimmy Wakely and the Sunshine Girls in 1940, doing their version of the song.

Tribute to John Williams

Chapter member Mike Halter brought the following video to the attention of the bulletin. Hope that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Watch for the next issue of the bulletin on November 24.
If you have information that you would like to have included in the bulletin, send it to derbytown08@gmail.com or give it to Bill Halter at rehearsal.

October 2008, #2

Happy Halloween!

This Saturday is the Catholic holy day of All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day). The previous day is All Hallows' Eve, from which comes the name Halloween. In 5th century Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31st. On that day, it was thought that spirits from all those who had died during the previous year would roam the land searching for a living body to inhabit during the coming year. People would dress up in scary costumes and parade around noisily so that no spirit would enter their body.

There was also a custom in 9th century Europe that became part of the Halloween tradition. People would do what was called souling by traveling from village to village and collecting small cakes filled with currents. In exchange for the cakes, they promised to pray for the deceased relatives of those who baked the cakes.

The Jack-O-Lantern also seems to have come from Irish folklore. The story is that Jack, a drunkard and generally nasty guy, tricked the Devil into climbing a tree and then trapped him there. When Jack died, he was not allowed to enter Heaven because of his bad deeds during his life. He was not allowed to enter Hell because of the trick he played on the Devil. The Devil gave him a turnip with a glowing ember in it to light Jack's way through the darkness. When Irish immigrants came to America, they found pumpkins to be more plentiful than turnips, so their "Jack's Lanterns" were made from hollowed out pumpkins.

Halloween Anthem?

For the past 40 years or so, the following song is often played on the radio or at parties during Halloween time. This clip shows Bobby "Boris" Pickett singing the song that he originated. This performance, in 2006, was his last before he passed away.

Novice Quartet Contest

There will be a novice quartet contest during our chorus rehearsal on Tuesday, October 28th. This is a "just for fun" event so plan to participate. There will be time for practicing on Tuesday. The only rule is that no more than 2 members of your quartet can be members of a registered quartet. Pick a name for the group and be prepared to sing one song. This is a good chance to get your feet wet if you haven't done much quartet singing.

December Dinner Meeting

This year's dinner meeting will be held on Saturday, December 13th at Anthe's on the Lake, 4315 Manchester Road. There will be a cash bar at 6 and dinner will be at 7. Members are free and guests are $20. Menu choices with sign-up sheets will be available at rehearsals on November 4th, 11th and 18th. The deadline is December 5th. 2009 officers will be installed at this meeting and the BOTY will be awarded.(fill out your nominee form ASAP)

Chapter Member Bio Forms

If you have filled out your bio form, bring it to the next rehearsal. An envelope will be provided for collection. There will also be blank copies of the form available. You can take one home and fill it out at your leisure.

Birthdays

Since there were no chapter members celebrating birthdays between October 27th and November 10th (next bulletin), let's honor a famous American who was born on October 27th, 1858. That would be Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, who served from 1901 to 1909. When Roosevelt ran for re-election in 1904, his main campaign song was "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight".

The Songs We Sing

Here are Stan and Ollie doing an old favorite. Our "frontline" guys would look great doing this choreography. How about a "Foreign Legion" number in some future show?

More Halloween Barbershop

If you still want more Halloween songs, here are the Dapper Dans at Disneyland doing a Halloween set.

Come On Down!!

If you haven't been to a chorus rehearsal lately, you are invited to join us soon. Look at how much fun we had at the last rehearsal. Click on the picture below.

Rehearsal-10/21/08

October 2008, #1

Happy Columbus Day

"Slightly Off Key"

by bulletin reporter, Bob R. Shoppe. Comments made by Mr. Shoppe are not necessarily those of the chapter or any other human beings on the planet.

If the Santa Maria had been equipped with a GPS, the banks in India would be closed today and the Knights of Columbus would be an organization for Hindu men.

Poll Results

You can see the results of our recent "clothing" poll above. Thanks to all who voted. The one "other" vote was for "duds".

Happy Birthday!

James Bouterse 10/15
Sherwood Davis 10/20
Rip Wilson 10/21
Gary Young 10/23

Golf Outing

On Friday, October 3, eleven chapter members participated in the first Chenoweth Golf Outing. Enjoying the 9 hole, best ball scramble were: Luke Frohnapfel, Ray Stone, Jim Heaton, Bud Couts, Jim Bishop, Rip Wilson, Dan Nichols, Jim Mally, Vic Estafen, Buzz Fraley, and Jim Regallis. After the golf, there was food, beverages and (surprise) singing. Luke's son joined in with everyone on " My Wild Irish Rose". There is talk of more golfing in the future, so stayed tuned.

Getting To Know Us

In the next couple of days, watch your email for a request for some background information about yourself. The information is for a feature in upcoming bulletin issues. If you haven't received this email by noon on Wednesday, Oct. 15th, contact the bulletin at derbytown08@gmail.com

Officers For 2009

The election of officers was held during the business meeting at our September 23rd rehearsal. Congratulations to all. The 2009 officers are:

President: Wil Veith
Executive VP: Vic Estafen
Secretary: Dan Nichols
Treasurer: Robin Reid
Delegate : Ray Stone
Program VP: Jerry Mason
Chapter Development VP: Jim Bishop
Music and Performance VP: Scott Giles
PR and Marketing VP: Stan Martin
Chorus Manager: Erik Salmons
Board Members at Large: Charlie Wilson, Ed Crosley, Bill Halter

The new officers will be installed at our annual December Business Meeting.

Recent Guests

Pictured below are Casey and Brian Stack, who were guests at a recent rehearsal. It's always good to see father and son singing together.

BOTM

Congratulations to Dan Nichols for being chosen as Barbershopper of the Month for September. Dan may not be as big a part of the chapter in a physical sense anymore, but he certainly is when it comes to the giving of time and effort for chapter events.

Have You Heard This Song?

Here is a clip from a 1942 movie, featuring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Marilyn Maxwell and everybody's favorites, Biff Morgan and his Cats. Those "Cats" could use some coaching from Kirk on the subject of facial expression.

The Songs We Sing

"The old songs, the old songs, those good old songs for me.....". The Old Songs was composed by Geoffrey O'Hara who was born in Ontario in 1882. O'Hara was a banker and a professional musician. He received an honorary doctorate of music from Huron College.

O'Hara composed songs for Al Jolson and Enrico Caruso. Two of his better known popular compositions are "K-K-K-Katy" and " Your Eyes Told Me So". He also composed many spirituals, including "There Is No Death" and "I Walked Today Where Jesus Is". It isn't known whether he wrote barbershop songs although he was the founder and first president of the Manhattan chapter.

"The Old Songs" is really the introduction to a more complete work of 14 pages, "A Little Close Harmony". It is a glee club type song with banjo and other instrumental background.

In the early days of our Society, Mr. O'Hara gave permission for us to use the introduction as our theme song.

K-K-K-Katy

If you want to hear this song, watch the following video. You might recognize some other songs too.



Watch for the next bulletin on Monday, October 27.

September 2008, #2

Another Great Corn Roast

A loud round of corn-fed applause to Dan Nichols for organizing this year's corn roast. Once again, the food was great, and the singing was enjoyed by all. Dan works his magic and makes everything go so smoothly that it's easy to forget how much effort goes into this event. And this year, Dan did it while recovering from an encounter with patio bricks that required stitches. Thanks again Dan. Thanks also to all those who helped with the set-up and tear-down.

It's Time For A Poll

With all the political polls that are in the news now, why not have a chorus poll? The subject matter may not be critical to national security, but take a minute and make your choice. The poll is at the top right of this issue. If you answer "other", email your answer to the bulletin. (email address is in the About Us section above)

Who Said That?

"I started writing songs at 18, and the barbershopping (experience) was behind me, but what I learned from it was a very important part of my life during those formative years. It's the most remarkable sound I think I've ever experienced."

(The answer is written at the end of today's issue.)

Sign O' The Times

Recently spotted on route 43 between Kent and Streetsboro was a yard sign that proclaimed, "DIVAS WANTED, WOMEN WHO SING" There was also a phone number, but it wasn't Ray's.

How Songs Can Influence The World

Most of us have watched enough TV or seen enough movies to be familiar with the term, "gringos". This word is used as a, not so flattering, reference to North Americans. The word was actually coined during the Mexican War. There was a very popular American song at the time that started with the words, "Green grows the lilac...". Mexicans often heard the American troopers sing this song around the campfires, hence "gringos".


Happy Birthday!

Ed Egan 9/24
Bill Evans 9/27
Ken Spencer 10/2
Jim Bishop 10/3
Ken Hinchee 10/4
Herb Shreffler 10/8
Donald Stephens 10/10

The Songs That We Sing

The Swedish rock quartet, ABBA, has been in the news lately with the Broadway and movie versions of Mama Mia!. Here is a clip of ABBA's first TV appearance. (1970) Who knew that Sweden had a "wild west"?

Barbershop On XM Radio

If you have access to XM radio, check out channel 4 (usually plays music from the 40's) from 8 to 9 on Sunday nights. They do a whole hour of barbershop. They also repeat the show again at midnight for those insomniacs out there. Note: If you have DirecTV, this show is on channel 801.

Answer to Who Said That? Singer/Songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot

Watch for the next bulletin issue on Monday, October 13th.

September 2008, #1

Corn Roast

Tomorrow ( 9/9) is the date of the 55th annual Akron Derbytown Chorus 'Stag' Corn Roast. The official starting time is 6:00 pm, but those wishing to help with the husking and other activities can come anytime after 3:00 pm. The site of the roast is the Tadmor Temple Picnic Shelter at 3000 Krebs Avenue, Akron. Wear your red chorus shirt, name badge and appropriate clothing below the waist. Come with good voice and appetite.

Slate of Officers for 2009

The nominating committee has a full slate of candidates for all chapter offices. Thanks to committee members Jim Heaton, Jerry Mason, Charlie Wilson, Vic Estafen, and Bill Halter for their efforts. Since it is not illegal to have more than one candidate for any office, if you would like to add your name to the slate, please contact Bill Halter at wahalter46@gmail.com or talk to one of the committee members at our Sept. 16th rehearsal. The chapter offices are: President, Executive VP (new office), Secretary, Treasurer, Chapter Development VP, Music and Performance VP, Program VP, PR and Marketing VP, Chorus Manager and Board Member At Large


Who Said That?

" I'm a shower singer and I drive around listening to my barbershop learning tapes. People see me in the car and look at me like I'm nuts."

Check the end of today's post to see the answer.


Open House Slideshow

Check out the slideshow at the top of this page, on the right. It shows a few pictures from our 9/2 open house. Double click on it if you want to see a full size view.



Birthdays

Congratulations to : Frank LoPresty 9/4
Erik Salmons 9/8
Luke Frohnapfel 9/19

Quartet Activity

Clear Choice recently sang at two venues that were related to classic modes of transportation. On Sunday morning, August 17th, the quartet sang at the Ledges Shelter in Virginia Kendall Park for the Penn-Ohio Model A Owners Club.
Then, on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Labor Day weekend, Clear Choice helped the new Lodi Station Outlet Mall with it's Grand Re-Opening. Even though four hours each day of strolling and singing was a change from most gigs, it was a great chance to promote barbershop singing to a large group of people. As you can see in the pictures below, the mall has a railroad theme complete with two trains.











The History Of The Pitch Pipe

If you have a few minutes right now, copy and paste( or just type it) the link below into your browser window and read a very interesting article that gives some background on our friend, the pitch pipe. If you are pressed for time, that's ok. You can come back later.

http://www.gradywilliamkerr.com/PitchPipes/PitchPipe.html



Answer to "Who Said That?": Award-winning actor and song and dance man, Dick Van Dyke


Watch for the next bulletin issue on Monday, September 22.