January, 2009, #1

New Year's Edition

Happy New Year to all Derbytown Chorus members and their families. This year promises to be a great one for the Chapter with our move to a new rehearsal location and a change in the time of year of our annual show from February to April. We have a new slate of officers and hardworking committees that will be guiding us, so let's all do our part to make 2009 a year to remember.

Barbershopper Of The Year

As was announced in the last bulletin issue, Kirk Roose received the Larry Neal Memorial Award, signifying him as our Chapter's Barbershopper of the Year for 2008. The award was announced at our annual December business meeting and dinner. The picture, taken at our 12/23 meeting, shows Kirk receiving his award from the 2007 winner, Jerry Mason.

One Door Closes, Another Opens

After more than 20 years of holding Chapter rehearsals in the social hall at Saint Bernard's Church, we will begin, on Tuesday, January 13, to meet at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 North Prospect Street, Akron. By the time you read this, a group of volunteers will have spent their morning on Saturday, January 10 physically moving the Chapter supplies, music, etc. to our new location. If you have not been to a rehearsal in a while, come on down to our new "digs" and check it out. Singing starts at 7:30, but 7:00 would allow more time for socializing and exploring.

Recent Guest

At our December 23rd meeting, we welcomed guest, Mark Becknell. Mark, from Cincinnati, was visiting at the home of Bill and Sue Halter for Christmas. Bill and son, Mike, both chapter members, encouraged Mark to join us for some singing and fellowship. Mark, who plays guitar, drums and sings in several Cincinnati area bands, reported that he enjoyed a taste of barbershop music.

100 Ways You Can Take Part In Your Chapter
(21-30 of a continuing series)

21. Go to Harmony College and other regional/district/international education events whenever possible.

22. Offer to help the newsletter/bulletin editor with whatever you can do.

23. Write an article for your newsletter/bulletin.

24. Review a barbershop show or album for your newsletter/bulletin.

25. Volunteer to work with an experienced member to learn a new chapter administration skill.

26. Start a chapter quartet.

27. Encourage the formation of chapter quartets.

28. Offer to help an officer.

29. Take a non-meeting night to help another baritone (lead, tenor, or bass) learn his part.

30. Don't come to rehearsal with a contagious sore throat or anything else you could spread around.

Singing Valentines Program

Plans are in motion to make chapter quartets available to do Singing Valentines on February 13th and 14th. This program can be a great recruiting tool as well as helping the chapter monetarily. If you want to volunteer to be part of the 2009 Singing Valentines program or if you want more information, contact Rip Wilson or Mike Halter.

Bob Horning- 1/18

Bill Kuntz- 1/22

Getting To Know Us

The following information was submitted to The Bulletin using one of our Chapter Bio Sheets. This information is being shared to help us learn more about the men with whom we sing. Chapter Bio sheets are available at rehearsals and, on request to derbytown08@gmail.com, can be emailed to you and printed out. Completed forms can be emailed to the previous address or turned in to Mike Halter at rehearsals while the Bulletin staff is on sabbatical in Florida. The identity of each chorus member will be revealed in the next Bulletin issue after his information appears.

This man has been a barbershopper for eight years and has been a member of the Derbytown Chorus for the same period of time. He was born in Akron but has also lived in Cincinnati. He has two children and five grandchildren.

In his job as an engineer, he worked on teams that (a) developed the radar defense around the United States during the mid 60's and (b) designed and built the first servo-driven automatic inspection machine (CMM). He also designed and built several computer-based machine controls.

Outside of barbershop, he has worked with several sound systems. He recorded his church radio program for twenty years. He also enjoys recording and editing his own barbershop learning files.

Who Were Those Four Guys?

In the 12/22 Bulletin Issue, chapter members were challenged, in a nice way, to discover the name of the quartet that provided the male back-up voices on Bing Crosby's 1942 recording of "White Christmas". If you guessed The King's Men, you were right.

The group consisted of Ken Darby, bass and arranger; Rad Robinson, baritone; Jon Dodson, lead;Bud Linn, tenor

On the 1942 "White Christmas" recording with Bing Crosby, some female voices were added to the group and they were called The Ken Darby Singers.

The King's Men were regular cast members on the popular radio show, Fibber McGee and Molly. They are shown, on the left, in the cast picture below.

The following video gives you a chance to listen to this wonderful group of men who played a role in making our hobby what it is today.

Speaking Of Four Guys Singing.......

Most of you have probably heard of the Ames Brothers. Here are some things that maybe you didn't know, backed by the singing of this great quartet.