?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! !
@Y_^UUb 5TYd_bYQ\ $ "%iUQbcQW_ $ Db_eRQT_eb 8UbUS_]UdXUZeWc % 3?DCYcS_]Y^W ! ?VVYSYQ\`eR\YSQdY_^_VdXU@Y_^UUb4YcdbYSd 8Qb]_^iGUU[U^TQd8QbbYcfY\\U !! C_SYUdiV_bdXU@bUcUbfQdY_^Q^T5^S_ebQWU]U^d_V %\6WDII:ULWHU-LP6W\HU make a concerted effort to keep he JOE BARBERSHOPPER this thought at the forefront in our CHORUS at the Pioneer Barbershop functions,” said Fred 7 Kienitz, district VP for chorus di- District fall convention this year will be led by one of the most rector development. prominent directors in the Soci- “Each of us needs to keep this ety — Society Executive Director concept in mind so that our chil- Darryl Flinn. dren and grandchildren have the Darryl, who directed the chap- same opportunity to ‘Keep the ter chorus in Canton, Ohio, for 20 Whole World Singing’ as we have years, will be the Society’s repre- had for the past 50-plus years,” sentative to the convention Friday Fred added. “I cannot imagine that through Sunday, October 19-21, in there could come a day when our Battle Creek. offspring might witness the decline The JOE BARBERSHOP CHORUS of this wonderful organization.” will be mike-testers for the chorus The JOE BARBERSHOPPER CHO- contest and will sing “Teach the 6RLHW\ ([HXWLYH 'LUHWRU RUS is open to any Barbershopper Children to Sing.” 'DUU\O)OLQQ whether he’s singing in another “The message is wonderful but, chorus or not. Rehearsal will be at more important, it is vital that we 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the gymna- sium in the auditorium building. 7RSSHUVRQQHO :LQGVRI KDQJHLQGLVWUL W Darryl will be one of two top Soci- ety personnel at the convention. %\$O%RQQH\ ership, we came together on Au- The other will be Roger Lewis of 'LVWULW([HXWLYH93 gust 9 in Lansing for a ground- Battle Creek, Society executive he winds of change are breaking meeting to shape the vice president, who will become blowing across Pioneer. plan for moving the district for- Society president in January. 7 ward toward this ambitious mis- Your district Board intends Darryl, Society executive direc- sion. to be the leadership team required tor for five years, also will speak to make that change possible. Expanding the group from the to members at the House of Dele- We’re unified by the realization usual 10 members to include the gates meeting at 2:00 p.m. Friday. that the district Board’s job is to slate of officers for 2002, the Delegates are to consider a budget make Barbershopping more fun meeting swelled to a total of 17, proposal and elect new officers. A for every member of the district. including Society President-elect district Board meeting will be held Understanding that we only do &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH this by working with chapter lead- " @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! Next Copy Deadline ?VVYSYQ\`eR\YSQdY_^_VdXU@Y_^UUb4YcdbYSd December 5, 2001 C_SYUdiV_bdXU@bUcUbfQdY_^Q^T5^S_ebQWU]U^d_V 2QbRUbCX_`AeQbdUdCY^WY^WY^1]UbYSQ 9^S There are four methods of submit- Editor: Gary Simon, 6530 Paul Revere Lane, Canton, MI 48187-3054 ting information to the Troubadour: 734-981-6342 (R) 734-844-7427 (F) 1. Submit article and photos/ E-mail: [email protected] artwork via e-mail. (Preferred) 35(6,'(17 ,00(',$7(3$6735(6,'(17 2. Mail file(s) on floppy disk. Donald Bazely Larry L. Parker 3. Fax typed copy. 52 The Drive 1416 New York Avenue 4. Mail typed article and scanner- Sault Ste Marie, ON P6B 1B7 Canada Lansing, MI 48906-4538 ready artwork. 705-759-8958 (R) 517-372-8389 (R) [email protected] [email protected] Db_eRQT_eb1TfUbdYcY^W 3_`iCYjUBQdUc (;(&87,9(93 0(0%(56(59,&(693 Al Bonney Brian Dunckel Rates quoted are for scanner-ready 12660 Sundown Lane 5872 Green Road copy or properly formatted electronic Traverse City, MI 49686 Haslett, MI 48840-9783 files. Please send check with copy, 231-223-4064 (R) 517-339-3422 (R) 517-625-3143 (B) payable to “Pioneer District.” [email protected] [email protected] 62&,(7<%2$5'0(0%(5 (9(17693 Ad sizes available: Raleigh Bloch Larry L. Parker Full page $100 2033 Wild Cherry Lane 1416 New York Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49009 Lansing, MI 48906-4538 2/3 page $75 616-375-6849 (R) 616-375-6849 (B) 517-372-8389 (R) 1/2 page $65 [email protected] [email protected] &217(67 -8'*,1*93 &+$37(56833257/($'(56+,393 1/3 page $50 Edward Fritzen, Jr. Doran McTaggart Quartet-size card $13 4075 Prestwick Drive 890 Buckingham Portage, MI 49024 Windsor, ON N8S 2C8 Quartet-size card (annual) $55 616-323-8127 (R) 616-833-2516 (B) 519-948-0637 (R) TROUBADOUR PUBLISHING [email protected] [email protected] INFORMATION &+2586',5(&725'(9(/230(1793 086,& 3(5)250$1&(93 Published in January, March, May, August, Fred Kienitz Dan Bezaire and October. Copy deadline: 5th of the month 2292 Golden Pond 354 East Puce Road, RR #1 prior to the month of publication. The Trouba- dour is published by the authority of the Pio- Fenton, MI 48430 Belle River, ON N0R 1A0 neer District Association of Chapters of the 810-750-8259 (R) 519-727-5842 (R) 519-728-1212 (B) Society for the Preservation and Encourage- [email protected] [email protected] ment of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in 0$5.(7,1*38%/,&5(/$7,21693 75($685(5 America, Inc. All articles not by-lined are by the editor and do not necessarily reflect the Doug Pearson R. Stanley Williams opinion of the members or officers of the dis- 169 Lexington 421 Franklin St. trict. Space will be made available for oppos- East Lansing, MI 48823 Leslie, MI 49251 ing views relevant to any issue. Nothing will 517-351-9587 (R) 517-381-8060 (B) 517-589-5586 (R) 517-322-5996 (B) be published that is in violation of the Soci- [email protected] [email protected] ety’s Code of Ethics. 6(&5(7$5< <281*0(1,1+$5021<&+$,50$1 Subscription rate for non-members: $6.00 Jack F. Schneider Al Bonney annually, $1.50 for single copy. Remit check, 1311 Northlawn Street NE 12660 Sundown Lane payable to “Pioneer District,” to editor. Grand Rapids, MI 49505 Traverse City, MI 49686 616-361-6820 (R) 231-223-4064 (R) PioNet subscriptions [email protected] [email protected] 7RVXEVULEHWRWKH3LR1HWDWQRRVW HPDLO\RXUQDPHDQGKDSWHUQDPHWR -LP6W\HU#KRPHRP Pioneer District members: DO NOT SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO EDITOR. Mail- ing data are furnished by SPEBSQSA, Inc., 6315 Harmony Lane, Kenosha, WI 53143-5199. Please furnish change of address to your chapter secretary and SPEBSQSA with your name, 9LVLW3LRQHHU'LVWULW:HEVLWH chapter name, chapter and member number, and your old and new addresses. Copies not de- ZZZKDUPRQL]HRP3LRQHHUSLRKWP liverable at the time of mailing will not be forwarded. ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb # So … Are you interested in the future of your chapter? Pretty silly question, isn’t it? OF COURSE YOU ARE! So don’t forget to attend this year’s action-packed edition of Pioneer District’s COTS (Chapter Operations Training Seminar) 2QWDSDUHVRPHVHVVLRQVRIIHULQJVRPHWKLQJIRU HYHU\KDSWHURIILHUERDUGPHPEHURPPLWWHHPDQ DQG-RH%DUEHUVKRSSHU Society experts will be on hand to conduct these sessions and to answer any of your questions Oh, and don’t forget — lots of singing, heaps of food, and warm camaraderie Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 1-2 at Gull Lake For more information, see the article on page 10 or contact your chapter president $ @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! Editorial \HDUVDJR 7URXEDGRXUWRSXEOLVK )RUHLJQ3ROL \ZLQV ILYHLVVXHVD\HDU GLVWUL W KDPSLRQVKLS s you read in this issue’s front-page story, the n 1976, FOREIGN POLICY won the Pioneer District A Pioneer District is re-evaluating its financial I Quartet Championship with a score of 1,728 status. At its annual meeting in August, the Board points. Finishing second was GREAT LAKES EXPRESS of Directors adopted several proposals to improve (1,578 points) and in third place, SOUND SPECTRUM its financial position. (1,568 points). Held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in One of the ideas was to reduce the number of Dearborn, the October contest was hosted by the issues of the Troubadour from six issues annually Grosse Pointe Chapter. to five. This move alone will save the district more than $2,000 per year. Several of the other Society districts have also felt a financial pinch and have reduced the number of their district newsletter issues as well. I will also try to keep the number of pages of each issue in a smaller range: 20-28 pages instead of 28-36. The breakdown of future Troubadour publish- ing is as follows: • Issue 1 - January/February • Issue 2 - March/April • Issue 3 - May/June/July • Issue 4 - August/September • Issue 5 - October/November/December As in the past, the deadline for articles and pho- tos will be the fifth of the month prior to publica- tion unless otherwise noted. This date will be listed in the top right-hand corner of page 2 of each issue. Chapters wishing to place annual show ads should plan carefully to determine which issue would best suit their needs. I will try to include every feature that has ap- peared in recent issues. However, a difference might be that the articles will be more condensed )25(,*132/,&< &ORNZLVHIURPWRS %DVV7KRP+LQH and the number of photographs fewer. WHQRU -RKQ :HDULQJ EDUL 'RQ +XPSKULHV DQG OHDG Recently, I have asked those of you who submit 5XVV6HHO\ articles to “write tight,” i.e., keep them short and focused. Now I’m asking you to “write tighter.” If The Wayne Chapter’s WONDERLAND CHORUS you wrote 400-word articles in the past, try to write took first place in the district’s chorus competition 300-350 words in the future. If you wrote five or held in April in Lansing. Grosse Pointe finished sec- six paragraphs before, try to condense your writing ond and Grand Rapids was third. to three or four now. The following Barbershoppers were selected to I realize that this can be a challenging request to the Pioneer District Hall of Fame in 1976: Michael achieve but, working together, we will succeed. Amone, Hal Bauer, Merle Clayton, Leonard Field, Gary Wally Joure, and Robert Walker. ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb % 13YUg6b_]DXUD_` +HUH RPHWKHMXJV %\-LP.XQ] 4_^2QjU\i @bUcYTU^d 'HWURLW2DNODQG&KDSWHU ne of the long-standing Pio- Oneer District traditions has been Return of the Jug Night each ,PSRUWDQWHYHQWV RPLQJXS June. This process typically starts in late summer, with the Detroit- have decided, just this once, to out the chapters that send their of- Oakland Chapter making surprise I abandon a column with any ficers to COTS. They are usually visits to chapter meetings, sending kind of theme and concentrate in- the ones that are doing well. two jugs on journeys throughout stead on a couple of really impor- This is probably my last article Michigan and Ontario. Each chap- tant district events that should be as district president. Has it been a ter visited is encouraged to make a marked on your calendars. picnic? Not at all. But I wouldn’t modest contribution to the Jug House of have missed it for the world. Your Fund and then pass the jug on. Delegates district board — past, present, and This tradition was started to: (HOD) future — is the greatest bunch of help defray the expenses our quar- meeting Oc- guys that you could ever hope to tets incur when they represent us tober 19 at meet. at the international convention and Battle Now listen up! I got ALL or to promote inter-chapter activity. Creek. Your nearly all of my jollies by partici- This past year, only about half of district Board pating in district (and Society) the chapters were visited by chap- is going to be events. That’s what Barbershop- ters exchanging the jug. asking chap- ping is all about. You cannot get While we still had a wonderful Don Bazely ter delegates the best bang for your buck by evening last June with great atten- to play an acting as though the Barbershop dance at our Return of the Jug ever-expanding role in the run- world is confined to your city Night, we had less than $500 ning of this district. We will ask boundaries. How about making an available for POWER PLAY. Many them to review the district five- effort to be a conventioneer this of us missed that chance for a lit- year plan; and to work with us in October? We would all love to tle inter-chapter camaraderie dur- reviewing our cost-containment see you there. ing the year as well. measures and our fund raising One final thought. The district plans. Board will be going through sev- We’re hoping this is a tradition COTS – December 1-2. It is eral changes for 2002. I can prom- we can preserve. To do that, we distressing to see the number of ise you that, with the continuing need your help in: chapter officers who believe that support of the guys who stepped • Supporting your leaders as COTS is a waste of time and that down, we are certainly in very they ask you to spend an extra there is nothing more they can good hands. If I can claim credit evening visiting another chap- learn. What a misguided attitude. for one thing done right, it is that I ter I know … “you can lead a horse persuaded Al Bonney to run for • Encouraging your leaders to to water ...”; I am familiar with district president! contribute to the Jug Fund that saying. Sing from the heart … or don’t I also know that you can pick bother. The jugs will be moving soon. If you have any suggestions regard- ing what we can do to improve Singing is Life … this tradition, feel free to send me an e-mail at You bet. 8UbUµcdXUC_SYUdi@YdSX WELL, OUR GUYS IN OUR CHAPTER KNOW HOW TO TIE BQ\UYWX2\_SX C_SYUdi2_QbT=U]RUb THEIR SHOES AND HAVE BEEN TO COTS, SO WE FIG- URE WHY SEND THEM AGAIN? IT COST MONEY. &276'276 So you remember everything that you’ve ever been trained? WELL, WHAT I FORGOT I ´-RH%DUEHUVWRSSHUµ DIDN’T NEED TO KNOW TO BEGIN WITH. You don’t think there is any- ell, it’s that time again. I DOTS would make a catchy title. thing new to be learned? W wonder what kind of help WELL, WE DON’T NEED HEY, I GOT THIS FAR ON I’m going to THESE DUMB SCHOOLS; THIS WHAT I KNOW. NOW BLOW get with my IS A SINGING ORGANIZATON, ME AN A-FLAT AND LET’S article. NOT A BUSINESS. SING “MY WILD IRISH ROSE.” I’m here, Well, to tell the truth, it is a Um, that’s B-flat, Joe. as usual, but business. In fact, just at the Inter- AND FURTHERMORE, I’ve brought national level, it’s a $6,200,000.00 SOME OF THOSE DISTRICT along my business. If you add to that the lo- GUYS HAVE GONE TO THAT friend, Joe cal chapters, it’s significantly FORUM THING TWO YEARS Barberstop- higher. Some chapter budgets are IN A ROW NOW. Raleigh Bloch per. over $200,000.00. Well, aside from learning some Y E A H , We need an organization to new things to help them do their I’M HERE AND WE DON’T handle all our purchasing of music jobs, they learn about new plans NEED NO ARTICLE, SO DON’T and equipment, PR, correspon- that the Society has for the coming EVEN BOTHER. dence, organization of perform- year. They also have a voice in de- Where did you ever get that ances, directing of the chorus, es- veloping those plans. name, Joe Barberstopper? tablishing plans to get new mem- We need to coordinate our ef- I DON’T KNOW. IT’S SOME- bers, scheduling of events, coach- forts and have the best trained THING SOMEBODY HUNG ON ing sessions, contests, organizing leaders on the local, district, and ME FOR SOME REASON AND fun events, etc. international levels so that we can IT JUST STUCK. OK, BUT WE DON’T NEED be successful. If we have one weak Anyway, we need to talk about ALL THESE SCHOOLS. THEY link in that chain, we definitely COTS ’N’ DOTS. COST MONEY. JUST SELECT will not do as well. Let’s be as I know what COTS is, but what THE GUYS AND LET THEM good as we can be. So you see, the heck is DOTS? DO IT. COTS ’N’ DOTS are important. HEY, IT’S NOT THAT DOTS Why wouldn’t we want to give OK, OK, I GET THE MES- COM STUFF, IS IT? IF IT IS, them all the help we can so they SAGE. ALL OUR GUYS NEED JUST FORGET ABOUT IT. and our organization can be suc- TO GO TO COTS ’N’ DOTS Well, COTS is Chapter Opera- cessful? (FORUM) AND WE WILL DEFI- tions Training Seminar, so I When I was a kid, I tried to tie NITELY BE BETTER FOR IT. thought I would call District Offi- my shoe and what a mess of knots I Sounds good to me. cer Training School DOTS. had. Then my Dad showed me NOW LETS HAVE THAT B- Isn’t that what the forum is sup- how. FLAT AND SING “WAIT ’TIL pose to be? So that training session helped Yes, but I thought COTS ’N’ you? &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ' does this as well as anyone I 8UbUµcdXU4YcdbYSd@YdSX know! I’m sure he would also “coach” you on how to do it. 2bYQ^4e^S[U\ =U]RUbCUbfYSUc3@ We can’t continue to be pas- sive; we must ACTIVELY seek out others to join us. You don’t have to hit a home run every time, :LOO\RXEH´0U2 WREHUµ" but you do have to go to bat! Will you be the next “Mr. Octo- lay ball, plaaaaaaaaaaaay ball. by the VOCAL MAJORITY. ber”? Like young Billy in the P Now please don’t say what I’m GREAT LAKES CHORUS parody of That’s how the GREAT LAKES sure some of you are thinking, “Wait ’Til the Sun Shines, Nellie” CHORUS began the second song in “We can’t use that — we aren’t who dreams of his career as a ma- the baseball package that we per- the VM”; only part of that is true. jor leaguer, if you’re gonna formed in Nashville. As most of us Part of the reason that the VM dream … dream BIG! know, the major league season is is successful is that they have “Now batting for the New York about to close planned for success. Their plan can Yankees … .” with its fall assist any chapter; it’s not some- classic, the thing that is unique to them. It +DUPRQ\)RXQGDWLRQ World Series. does however require work to Each year a make it happen, assisting the chap- JUDQWDSSOL DWLRQ hero emerges ter’s leadership in planning, imple- from the win- menting, and supporting the mem- GHDGOLQHLVQHDU ning team, per- bership drive activities. It’s not the he next application deadline haps a domi- boards’ problem, nor that of the for Harmony Foundation nating pitcher VP of chapter development; we T grants is November 1. Download Brian Dunckel or a player must all be on the team and must the guidelines and application whose bat de- work together to ensure the team’s from the Foundation Web site at stroys the ball. success. www.spebsqsa.org/ In 21 seasons in the American Baseball teams rely on scouting HarmonyFoundation/ or contact League, most notably with the reports to know what to expect the Foundation office at 1-800- Oakland Athletics and the New from their opponents. Your chap- 876-7464, x-8447. York Yankees, Reggie Jackson hit ter has many “scouting reports” Grants are for projects that 563 home runs. An outspoken available at the Society Web site, strengthen vocal music education player who starred in clutch situa- many “ scouts” and in schools and keep singing alive tions, he became known as “Mr. “coaches” (Pioneer Membership in communities. October,” especially after his per- Team Area Coordinators Ev and formance in the 1977 World Series Dick at Kenosha, your chapter where he hit five home runs — coach, and even other chapter’s three of those in the deciding leaders) are available and more Quartet game — en route to his second than willing to give extra help, but World Series MVP award. the MVP is you — the greatest as- singers Our Pioneer District needs to set your chapter can have. make become larger than life — the stuff Do you wear your membership legends are made of — in terms of pin with pride? Do you look for better recruiting new members to join opportunities to ask people if they our fraternity of singers. In Nash- sing? (Notice I said “people.” You chorus ville, four members of our district can even ask women because, if singers. attended a presentation on mem- they sing, they may have a man bership orientation that was given that sings.) Our own Roger Lewis 'U*UHJ/\QH ( @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! nitely a PR Moment for me. @eR\YSBU\QdY^W Every time these foursomes are out in the community — enter- 4_eW@UQbc_^ =Qb[UdY^W@eR\YSBU\QdY_^c3@ taining all sorts of audiences — they serve as goodwill ambassa- dors for our singing fraternity of Barbershoppers. These quartets “Where the old dreams move along, are not only selling a song, Shadows that drift to and fro, they’re selling our chapters, dis- trict, and Society. Moving on back through years, • Chapter publications have pro- vided me with good and chal- I’ve seen a pretty good show” lenging moments. Good because we have a number of quality dis- y all-time favorite sports- ure, a successful PR program or trict bulletins. Challenging be- M writer, Grantland Rice, project can be relatively simple cause we need more of them. penned those to plan and execute. Just about • Plaudits go to Hammerin’ Hank words some 50 any one of you can do it if you Hedges. Now here’s a guy who years ago and follow the right formula. A PR deserves his own PR Moment — they neatly Moment for me here is COTS. or as many moments as he wants sum up my In the past, we had been hurting to take. Hank has done a super- feelings today for attendance at this annual ac- lative job in promoting our an- as I hang up tivity. This year we revitalized nual Bush League activity. He’s my jersey after our PR efforts. From a district taken it from near failure to a quarterbacking standpoint, we placed a full- major league event. Hank’s PR district PR for page ad and ran several major formula: Frequent publicity on Doug Pearson nearly five stories in the Troub. We also PioNet, catchy Bush League fli- years. made extensive use of e-mail to ers, highly visible booths at dis- “As the curtain falls, I’ve seen a hype the event. Chapter officers trict conventions, and articles in pretty good show.” did a good job of publicizing the Troubadour. They all go to- This good show for me has COTS and of talking it up gether to increase awareness and been spiced with a number of in- among their members — impor- participation in this popular delible Public Relations Moments. tant links to PR. The end result? event. As I move on back through the We almost doubled our atten- • A lot of PR savvy went into the years, here are just a few of them: dance over the previous year success of Huron Valley’s Guest • Singing Valentines have consis- with a record number of partici- Night a couple of years ago with tently given our district a slam- pants. close to 40 visitors. “We pulled dunk PR boost. A number of our • A district guy’s job is made a lot out all the stops and took advan- chapters have turned in blue- easier if he’s surrounded by tage of the creative approach,” ribbon efforts in telling and sell- pros. I was fortunate to have vet- said Director Lynne Peirce. ing the Barbershop story through eran practitioners such as Trou- So there you have a few of my PR Singing Valentines. The built-in badour Editor Gary Simon and highlights during the past several community relations are incredi- PioNet Administrator Jim Styer years — true “Moments to Re- ble. As just one positive exam- calling many of the PR/ member.” ple among many, this past Feb- communications shots. If you Actually, they’re all part of a ruary our Grand Rapids Chapter throw a Hail Mary pass, you’ll continuum. Thanks to you, my job delivered some 200 Singing Val- want that twosome down the has been fun and rewarding. entines over a four-day period. field as receivers. And, yes ... I’ve seen a pretty • As I’ve preached, yelled, and • Let’s hear it for all of our per- good show. screamed to you during my ten- forming quartets — most defi- ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ) A course for chapter coach ap- 3XQ`dUb3_QSXY^W plicants and practising chapter coaches will be held again this 4_bQ^=SDQWWQbd year. 3XQ`dUbCe``_bd Doran McTaggart world-class The secretary and treasurer will international attend classes dealing with the nuts Sing … for life! faculty who will freely share its and bolts of their offices. They’ll expertise to benefit your chapter. have hands-on activities using the Don’t miss out on this learning op- actual forms and reports that they 5XEH*ROGEHUJ·VJ\P portunity. We are looking forward will use. 6XEPLWWHGE\)UHG0)DG\HQ to breaking last year’s attendance Your chorus director has a 0DRPE&KDSWHU record. class, too. He can improve his Pioneer COTS Coordinator skills in teaching, organizing, and f only people could burn lots of John Gillespie has sent each chap- presenting the chapter musical pro- I calories with little or no effort ter a COTS registration package. gram with variety and interest. and/or while doing other tasks. Please mail your completed regis- The marketing and PR class Surely, you’d strike it rich if you trations to the proper people before will offer many ways to promote invented an exercise machine that the deadlines. What classes will be your chapter in the community. In- accomplished that. Here’s a new available? ternal and external public relations patent described recently in the The president’s class will stress will also be explored. Your chapter New York Times: improving leadership skills, chap- will no longer be a secret in your #6,118,064: Karaoke deep- ter organization, utilizing re- area. breathing. Vigorous vocalizing sources, preparing agendas, con- The Young Men In Harmony can burn as many calories as a ducting board meetings, and prob- (YMIH) class is new this year. 100-meter sprint, according to the lem solving. How to get started, supporting Japanese inventor of this machine The music and performance school music programs, and pro- that computes the number of calo- (program) VP class will include moting the college quartet contest ries burned while you sing. yearly and weekly programming, are only a few of the topics that Hmmm, sing while using the the music leadership team, contest will be presented. shower stepper? ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! DQ[U>_dU &276 6bUT;YU^Ydj 3X_bec4YbUSd_b4UfU\_`]U^d3@ I_ebc$1C_^W +DUPRQ\ 4Q^2UjQYbU =ecYS@UbV_b]Q^SU3@ :HHNHQGLQ 2SSRUWXQLWLHVIRULPSURYHPHQW +DUULVYLOOH %\&UDLJ3ROODUG ast February, our Pioneer will keep you informed as soon as L District hosted its first ever we get things firmed up. nother successful Harmony Chorus Coaching Day in Lansing. It’s not too early to plan to at- A Weekend in Harrisville has We hope to repeat that event on tend Harmony Round-Up. We ended. The weather was awesome the first weekend of next March. hope that our annual district and the singing was even better. This will be a great opportu- school will be the biggest and We were very close to a record nity for your chorus to get some best ever. attendance with over 365 people outstanding It will be the same weekend as who signed in. coaching before: between Mother’s Day The town did a great job for all from some of and Memorial Day (Victoria Day who attended. The Art Fair was the Society’s weekend, my Canajun brothers), bigger than ever and the parade greatest May 17-19, 2002. Mark the dates for the kids was exciting. coaches. on your calendars and urge your On Saturday evening, 16 quar- The plan is chapter to budget something for tets and choruses performed at to have three that as well. Maria Hall; two of the quartets Dan Bezaire choruses at- I hope that more information had formed during the weekend. tend the about these two events will be Also exciting was the first per- three-hour morning session, available by fall convention or at formance by a Young Women in spending one hour each with COTS at Gull Lake. Harmony quartet with an average three coaches. age of 14. After a common lunch at- Sunday featured 21 groups per- tended by all participants, three 5HJLVWHUIRUWKH forming in a two-hour show. other choruses go through the Thirty-three Barbershop chap- same routine. The evening ses- PLGZLQWHUDQG ters were represented at Harris- sion is reserved for our interna- ville. The Arts Council of Harris- tional chorus representatives, un- LQWHUQDWLRQDO ville presented long-distance tro- known at this time. phies to first-time attendees from This is a great and inexpensive RQYHQWLRQV Tennessee and California. way to improve the quality of Next year’s Harmony Weekend some of our district choruses. De- t’s not too early to think about will be the 40th anniversary of tails are not finalized as yet, but I registering for the midwinter this event. We’d love to have all the cost including lunch should be convention in Riverside, Califor- of the Pioneer chapters come up around $20 per man. This is nia, January 20-27, 2002, and the for that special occasion. If your something that could easily be international convention in Port- chapter used to come to Harris- subsidized from your chapter land, Oregon, June 30-July 7, ville, but haven’t recently, plan for budget. (You do subsidize coach- 2002. next year’s event. ing/education, don’t you?) Tenta- To register: call 1-800-876- Thank you to everyone who tive date is March 2, 2002, at 7464, x-8462 or on-line at www. helped “pitch in” to make this MSU. spebsqsa.org/midwinter and www. event so successful. We also hope to hold a similar spebsqsa.org/Portland. My father would be proud! event for the northern choruses. I !" @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! I_e^W=U^Y^8Qb]_^i /DGLHV+RVSLWDOLW\5RRP %\&KDLU&DUROH3DUNHU he fall convention will be 1\2_^^Ui 4YcdbYSd3XQYb]Q^ T here before you know it. The ladies hospitality room again wel- comes you to join us in friendship, where chatting with old and new 7RGD\LVWKHGD\ friends is encouraged. Here, you can relax, have a cup of coffee or tea, and eat a hether you have a YMIH Society has to support him and “goodie” or two. You may also W program seeking growth your chapter’s programs. He will register for one of the many door or are contemplating starting one, learn about other successful pro- prizes that will be given away on today is the day to move from grams and where he can go to get Saturday. The lovely gifts have where you are help and ideas. He will meet me been donated by several of our onto the road (and Dave Anderson, the 2002 wonderful ladies. For that, I thank towards where DVP nominee for YMIH) and them with all my heart. you want to be. many YMIH VPs from other The hospitality room hours will First: find a chapters. Together we will share be: Friday, October 19 - 1:00-5:00 guy to be the ideas and dreams with both new p.m.; Saturday, October 20 - 9:00 YMIH spark- guys and experienced ones. a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. plug for the Third: Tell me who your new This will be my last time to chapter. You YMIH guy is. In my role as dis- host the hospitality room and will happily hand the reigns to Mary Al Bonney must have a guy trict VP of YMIH, I communicate who thinks throughout the year with the Bazely, who will be your hostess YMIH is just the thing to put the YMIH guys in the chapters to let beginning in April 2002. I am chapter on the map, or an ex- them know about opportunities confident that you will make Mary music teacher who really believes they might be interested in, good welcome and help her as much as in the program. He is the perfect ideas that have worked in other you have supported me. guy to lead the effort. Now make chapters. I am always available to Again, “Thank you all!” him a board officer — VP of answer questions that might help a YMIH — and give the program a project get unstuck. If I know who voice on the chapter Board of Di- your guy is, I can be sure he is “on 5DOHLJK%ORK rectors. Give a guy a title, a bit of my list.” &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH power, and a budget to make Today is the day! You can do it things happen — then get out of or not. The move is up to you. THE SUNSHINES, NELLIE.” his way! In any case, you know what That’s an A-flat, Joe. Second: Send your new VP of you have to do. I’m just here to Wait a minute. We only got YMIH to COTS. There WILL be support you if you want it. I hope three guys and I sing tenor. What an entire six-hour track for YMIH you find these suggestions helpful. do you sing, Joe? guys where he can learn what the Good luck! BARITONE. I sing baritone, too. Two baritones and a tenor! I think I’ve lost it. I DON’T THINK HE EVER Sing from the heart … HAD IT. Maybe if he went to COTS or or don’t bother! DOTS he could get it. ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb !# tors, please let me know. I’ll do DXU:eTWUµc3_b^Ub whatever it takes. Finally, I’m pleased to an- 5T6bYdjU^ 3_^dUcd:eTWY^W3@ nounce that our incoming Society president, Roger Lewis, along with Mike O’Donnell and me, all suc- cessfully completed category 0RUH RPSHWLWRUV school this summer and have been re-certified in the judging program until 2004. We could use a few more dedi- JUHDWHUVKRZ DVH cated men from Pioneer to enter into the judging program. It’s a lot an you believe that it’s fall Wouldn’t it be great to have a of hard work, but the rewards are C already and that I’m in the chorus contest with 20 to 25 cho- worth it. Please contact me if you midst of prepar- ruses competing? Or how about a are interested. I’d love to hear ing for our dis- quartet semi-final round with 25- from you. trict’s fall con- 30 quartets? It would be a wonder- See you all in Battle Creek. vention and ful contest, and a showcase of Bar- contests? I bershop harmony. don’t know As your vice-president of con- where the sum- test & judging, I would like to 6XPPHU mer went. know what it would take to en- We have a courage a greater participation in 352%(PRWHU Ed Fritzen fine panel of our conventions and contests. I’ve judges lined up always enjoyed coming to conven- for the fall contests. Judging music tions and singing in the contests, RQOLQH will be Roger Payne, and Ray no matter what the outcome. It’s a Schwarzkopf. In the presentation lot of fun and a chance to sing in he Summer 2001 issue of the category we’ll have Doug Miller front of the greatest audience in T PROBEmoter newsletter is and Gary Stamm, while our sing- the world ... your fellow Barber- online at the PROBE Web site, ing judges will be Tom Woodall shoppers. How can you pass up an http://www.harmonize.com/ and Dale Comer. Coordinating this opportunity like that? PROBE/ fine panel will be past Society In addition, no matter where It contains reports of PROBE president Dick Shaw as the contest one places in the contest, each activities in Nashville and some administrator and John Santora as quartet/chorus gets some valuable good articles for bulletin editors the associate contest administrator. advice and coaching in order to and public relations folk. If you see any of these gentle- improve the next time out. I think Those who aren’t already men throughout the convention that’s a great deal. PROBE members may join by weekend, please say “Hi” and wel- So, let me encourage all the having their secretary check them come them to the Pioneer District. chapters, and quartets who haven’t off for membership when they While I’m on the subject of competed recently to consider it send in their new-officer reports to conventions and contests, do you either this fall, or in the spring. Kenosha. Annual membership is know that we have 31 chapters in Your chorus will be better for it, $5. our district along with 68 regis- and if you sing in a quartet, you Sign up now, as the cost will tered quartets? Of this number, can’t help but improve. There are rise to $10 beginning in January. only about 15 to 18 chapters are no losers on the competition stage. By paying $10 now, you’ll be paid represented by a chorus in our cho- If there is any way that I can up through Dec. 31, 2002. rus contest, and a similar number make the contest a more rewarding You also can sign up on the of quartets compete. experience, for all of our competi- PROBE Web site. !$ @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! AeQbdUdc3XQ]`Y_^c1cc_SYQdY_^ comb. I wound up learning and singing tags until about 2:00 a.m. I attended my first chorus rehearsal 1\6Yc[ CUSbUdQbi the next week and was hooked for life. While I was a member of De- troit #1, our chorus went to Inter- 6SRWOLJKWRQ%RE:LQWHUV national twice. I was assistant di- rector under Bill Butler and my Many moons ago (1976?), I Needless to say, we were very quartet, the TREBLESHOOTERS, — bumped into the PATCH CHORDS as impressed with what we heard and tenor Bob Mulligan, baritone Cliff they were singing for a cabaret au- were thinking, “Maybe we don’t Jorgensen, and bass Bob dience intermission at a Michigan belong here.” We sang anyway Whitledge — won the district in State University Chorale/Lansing and I learned for the first time 1964 and competed at Interna- Symphony performance of “Porgy what a great audience Barbershop- tional. I don’t think anyone heard and Bess.” pers make. us at International because we Having never heard a real Bar- All four of the guys in the quar- sang right after the SIDEWINDERS bershop quartet before, I was en- tet attended Wayne State Univer- and right before the FOUR RENE- thralled! I immediately joined the sity, so we stayed together. A GADES. Lansing Chapter. Their director? songwriter and record producer in After a couple of years, the The one and only Mr. Bob Winters. Detroit heard us sing and wanted TREBLESHOOTERS and the AUTO- Here is his story in his own words. us to be the back-up vocal group TOWNERS, who had won the Inter- Bob is one of many guys who men- behind a crooner named Hal Sum- national in 1966, broke up. Glenn tored my Barbershop beginnings. mers. Van Tassell and Dom Palmieri in- Thanks, Bob. By that time, we had named vited Bob Whitledge and me to try ourselves THE STAGS and HAL forming a new quartet. 0\/LIH 6R)DU LQ%DUEHUVKRS SUMMERS AND THE STAGS made I remember that we got together %\%RE:LQWHUV one record. Several Detroit deejays several times, but I had to be gone had Saturday shows they put on most of the summer because of got my first taste of Barbershop throughout the Detroit metropoli- other commitments. I told the guys I quartet singing in high school tan area, usually in a movie thea- that if they could find another lead, in Detroit. Our men’s glee club ter. They needed live talent, so we I’d understand. had a continuous Barbershop quar- were singing just about every They found some guy from tet and as a high school sopho- week for several months. Ohio named Drayton Justus and more, I was selected to take the Several years later, my wife, the rest is GENTLEMEN’S AGREE- place of the graduating tenor. Kay, and I met a neighbor of a MENT history. We had the same personnel for good friend at a party. He told me Shortly after that, Kay and I two years and performed for any- that he was a Barbershopper and moved to Watertown, N.Y., and I one who asked. Back in those that I should come with him to one dabbled in directing the local cho- days, the Detroit #1 Chapter had a of Detroit #1’s MOTOR CITY CHO- rus and singing in a foursome Bob-Lo Barbershop Moonlight RUS rehearsals. I wasn’t sure I called the TUNESTERS UNION. Cruise on the Detroit River every wanted to make a commitment to After three years, another job summer. A Barbershopper who sing every week, but I did agree to opportunity took me to Washing- heard us perform invited us to sing go to a Barbershop party. ton, D.C., and I joined the ALEX- on the cruise. It turned out to be the annual ANDRIA HARMONIZERS. I became We had no idea that we would Pontiac Corn Roast and I was im- one of the lead section leaders, got be singing on the same show as a mediately dragged into a group of to direct the chorus once in a number of fine quartets from guys singing tags. I later learned while, and sang in a quartet named across the state. We thought we that their names were Bob Craig, were going to be the headliners! Bob Whitledge, and Bob Lus- &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb !% Art Cardy - Tenor Larry Wise - Bass David Hundt - Lead Larry Parker - Baritone THE HARMONY HOUNDS An Entertaining Barbershop Quartet 3HGLJUHH %DUEHUVKRSSHUV For information, contact: Larry Parker 1416 New York Avenue CONTACT: ROGER LEWIS Lansing, MI 48906 Bus. (616) 979-4343 — Res. (616) 965-5714 (517) 372-8389 or David at (517) 669-1188 Ed Gene Doug Rich (517) 351-9587 (517) 482-0365 7KH3DWK&KRUGV 32%R[ %ULGJPDQ0, Music and Mirth XSVWDJHVRXQG#LQDPHRP 3LRQHHU'LVWULW4XDUWHW&KDPSLRQV (517) 521-3218 (517) 321-3941 Raleigh $5HJLVWHUHG%DUEHUVKRS4XDUWHW Kerry Roger Larry +RRNHGRQ+DUPRQ\ Cast for: Neil 231-882-4835 or Tracy 231-348-1178 COTS - The best thing that could happen to your chapter! !& @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! +RZWRSUHSDUHIRU RPSHWLWLRQ %\7RGG:LOVRQ us (believe in ourselves), feel like all the right reasons. 7RGG :LOVRQ RI ,QWHUQDWLRQDO we were capable of doing very We had four Ed Waesche ar- KDPSLRQTXDUWHW$&2867,;KDVILOHG well in San Francisco. Larry rangements prepared for the first D IDQWDVWL SLHH WR +DUPRQHW ZLWK helped us to become mentally pre- two rounds and worked our butts VRPHUHDOLQVLJKWRQKRZWKHTXDUWHW pared so that there were NO dis- off on those four songs. In mid- SUHSDUHG IRU LWV ILUVW RPSHWLWLRQ tractions that could get in the way May, we got the Waesche chart, 1RQH RI XV DUH \HW $&2867,;DOL of our potential to “kick some “The Masquerade is Over” and EHU ² 32:(53/$< LV ORVLQJ LQ ² butt” and execute the plan. paired it with a repertoire song we DQG IHZ RI XV KDYH WKH DOLEHU RI We didn’t even have a name already knew, “When It Comes to RDKHVWKH\KDG for the quartet at this point and Lovin’ the Girls/Sweeties Med- %XW , WKRXJKW HYHU\RQH ley.” HYHQ ILUVWWLPH KDSWHU TXDU In the first two rounds, WHWV RXOG EHQHILW IURP WKH we scored a respectable RQHSWV RI PHQWDO SUHSDUD fourth place. On Friday, WLRQ WKDW 7RGG GLVXVVHV when we made the “Ten,” KHUH we were elated, had noth- -LP6W\HU ing to lose, and didn’t have unrealistic expecta- s you know, nerv- tions with regard to this A ousness tends to “very unrehearsed” set create distractions that get left for Saturday night. in the way of someone do- Oddly enough, the ing their personal best at “unrehearsed” finals set “crunch time.” Things $&2867,; )URP OHIW WHQRU 7RGG :LOVRQ OHDG 5LN for Saturday scored much like sweaty palms, short- 0LGGDXJK EDVV -RHO 5XWKHUIRUG DQG EDUL -DVRQ higher than the first two ness of breath, racing -DQXDU\ rounds, enough for us to heart, or worrying about move all the way from someone else in the quar- didn’t settle on the name fourth to first. tet are normal symptoms that can ACOUSTIX until the Friday of pre- It’s hard to believe, but Satur- cause someone to “choke” on the lims. One of our friends, Nelson day night in the finals was the contest stage. To me, this is more Coates, came up with the name public debut for “The Masquerade prevalent when someone is not as and we liked it. is Over.” prepared as they should/could be. We rehearsed twice a week Among other things, the “key” When ACOUSTIX competed from January through the first half ingredient to our success, in my back in 1990 in the “big show,” of June and, believe it or not, took mind, was when Larry introduced before the prelims, we attended a TWO-WEEK BREAK prior to to us the importance of the very first “Top Gun” which the contest. Rick was out of town “imagineering” — going through was held in our own Southwest because of a prior family commit- every aspect of our three sets in District. We worked with some ment. We didn’t see each other our heads over and over again. great coaches like Don Clause, again until the night before the For example, what it will be Larry Ajer, Steve Plumb, and Dar- first quarter-finals round. The vo- like to hear our name announced ryl Flinn to name a few. Don cal break and the time apart did us by the master of ceremonies? eventually came up with some a world of good. Because we What it will be like when we walk great song ideas, a masterful inter- weren’t sick to death of rehearsing out to take our initial bow? Imag- pretive plan, re-worked some and being together, we all truly chords here and there, and made looked forward to the contest for &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb !' did nothing but run the sets in our &ROOHJLDWH KDPSV +RZWRSUHSDUH heads over and over again. IRURPSHWLWLRQ So, despite the newness of the KHDGIRU(DVW&RDVW quartet or the limited time we had &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH to prep the finals set or the two $&DSSHOOD6XPPLW weeks prior to International when )URP63(%646$/LYH:LUH ine what it will be like to walk we didn’t sing together, when we %\5HHG6DPSVRQ back into quartet formation and got to San Francisco, were men- 3XEOL5HODWLRQV0DQDJHU prep for the start of the first song. tally/vocally PREPARED to do What it will be like to hear the our individual best. ur 2001 MBNA America pitch. What it will be like to ac- There were NO nerves or dis- OCollegiate Barbershop Quar- cept the applause and take our tractions to get in the way of exe- tet Contest champion, Reprise, first bow. Imagine what it will be cuting the plan. We didn’t have to will appear on the Friday night like to walk back into quartet for- worry about stage presence. We show at the East Coast A Cappella mation and prep for the start of the didn’t have any real “moves” Summit, October 26-28. They also next song. What it will be like to planned. Larry helped us with a have a one-hour seminar slated for hear the pitch. “Perform” every few focal points, suggested a 10:00 a.m. Saturday. phrase and breath of the first song stance and attitude for each song, The Summit will be held at in our heads from start to finish. and strived to have our faces Boston University. Best deal for “Perform” the second song in our match the mood of every song. tickets: Full-weekend pass price heads from start to finish. What it Above all, the main focus was ($50 regular, $45 student) in- will be like to accept the applause to sing each song as if it were our cludes all events plus Friday and and take our last bow. Imagine last time on stage together. Any- Saturday night concerts. To order what it will be like as we exit the thing else was unacceptable. tickets, call 1-800-827-2936. stage. No one was more shocked to So when we had any individual hear ACOUSTIX announced as the down time, like driving down the International Champions than I highway to and from work or ly- was. My jaw was dragging on the ing in bed at night before falling ground all the way out to take our asleep, we “imagined” what it bow. Another surprise was hear- would be like to perform all three ing that the 139TH STREET QUAR- sets from start to finish. We did TET beat us in the SOUND cate- this hundreds of times from mid- gory. March through the day of the first Go figure. competition round. I remember a My gut tells me the reason we International Convention few Saturdays where Jeff and I won was primarily mental and less June 30-July 7, 2002 caught some rays by the pool and about the singing. Gary Nitz 7498 Dunross Dr. Portage, MI 49002 Tel: 616-324-0521 E-mail: [email protected] !( @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! chapters and increase the num- nouncements and instructions for :LQGVRIKDQJH ber of active chapters in the dis- participation in this important &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH trict so that the total member- meeting will be mailed to all chap- ship in the district is 1,430 by ter presidents prior to October 1 to Roger Lewis and Society Board December 2006. ensure maximum participation. Member Raleigh Bloch. 3. Greater awareness. Increase I look forward to working with Working from 9:00 a.m. until awareness of Barbershop- everyone to achieving these ambi- after 6:00 p.m., the group covered ping — its artistic merit and tious goals. We can do this if we a range of topics, including a new good works in Michigan and work together toward a common five-year plan for the district, goals Ontario. end. for 2002, work plans for each 4. Strong finances. Bring the dis- It is truly “great to be a Barber- member of the 2002 Board, and a trict to a point of sound finan- shopper in Pioneer!” draft budget for 2002. cial stability while continuing and improving 7KH%DUEHUVKRSEDVV·V UHHG services to our %\(DUO0*KHH members by cre- • ating a bank ac- I will always remember that count reserve of basses are God’s chosen people 50 percent of the and will strive to convince oth- district’s annual ers of that truth. • budget by De- Whenever the notes fall within cember 2006. my “power range,” I will sing in 5. Understand a manner that conveys the mes- membership de- sage “I am a bass! Hear me sires. Develop roar!” and implement • Whenever there exists the procedures for slightest opportunity for a Of particular interest to district continuous member feedback swipe, I will take it, whether the Barbershoppers, the five-year plan and implement visible applica- music is so written or not. contains five strategic goals which tion of that feed back to assess • I will, on rare occasions, allow will provide a central focus for dis- needs, evaluate effectiveness of the baritone to take a swipe. trict Board activities and expenses programs, distinguish opportu- • I will always remember that the for the next five years. These five nities, and establish priorities bass establishes the sound of the goals are: for the district. quartet or chorus and I will not 1. Sing better. Enable chapters It will be unlikely that we will allow the bari, lead, or tenor to and quartets to raise the quality achieve these ambitious goals forget it. • of their performances so that without a concerted and focused I will remember that the lead the average of all competing commitment from both district and carries the melody and message units — district wide — is 60 chapter leadership. It will be criti- of the song and so will show points higher than in the fall cal that all of us embrace these him a modest amount of re- 2000 competition by December goals and work toward them as a spect. I will not overdo it. • 2006. Based on the scores of a collective unit (district and chapter I will remember that the tenor, single panel of judges (current leadership with a unified direc- though he sings girlishly, is a is approx. 342 points). This tion!). rare and hard to find guy and so would be an increase of two We plan to restructure the will treat him with grudging re- points per song per judge for House of Delegates meeting in Oc- spect. I will not overdo it. 2002. tober to give delegates the oppor- • I will do all of the above in a 2. Stronger membership. Enable tunity to discuss these five goals spirit of humility befitting one membership growth in existing among themselves and present of God’s chosen people. comments to the Board. An- ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb !) 3XQ`dUbc Y^1SdY_^ It doesn’t seem possible that summer has come and gone so quickly. Director Jeff Gougeon is back from 4Udb_Yd ?Q[\Q^T his summer internship at Mystic Seaport and has the Lansing Chapter working harder than ever on new 2iD_]EYS[Ub music. Another summer is coming to a close. Last year at this On August 27, we took an evening dinner cruise time we talked about adding three new members and with our wives/sweethearts to show our appreciation two reinstated members. Since that time, we have for their tolerance of our participating in this wonder- added six more new members and two duals. We have ful hobby. As is typical of Barbershoppers, we pro- one more guest night before this newsletter goes to vided our own entertainment, with at least a few of press, and we are expecting at least one more mem- the songs having a river or water theme. bership application by fall. Next up is a two-evening coaching session the sec- Let me remind you of “Canada Night” on the first ond week in September and a performance for Penn- Friday of November. It is one of only two remaining way Church of God near the end of the month. “first Fridays” that were celebrated in times past. (The Of course, the next “biggie” is the fall convention other one is the “Return of the Jug” on the first Friday and chorus competition. Needless to say, we’re also in June.) We want to invite all Detroit-area Barber- hard at work on that. We enter the contest, not with shoppers, especially the Windsor Chapter. It will be the goal of winning, but merely to sing the best we held at the Sacred Heart Byzantine Hall at 29123 W 6 possibly can and have fun while doing so. Here’s hop- Mile, just east of Middlebelt, in Livonia. ing that your chorus also has fun at the convention. Unlike Jug Night, this party has remained a tradi- tional “stag” event, although we do want to encourage 8_\\Q^T female chorus directors to attend. 2i1bd We like to spice up the entertainment by having a mini-chorus contest. A mini-chorus is from 10 to 16 “And we’ll sing all we know tonight” was the motto singers, all from the same chapter, and with or with- for the HOLLAND WINDMILL CHORUS during its re- out a director. The prize for the winning chorus is the cent performance in a downtown park. The chorus “Old Oakland Bucket” traveling trophy. Last year’s and 12 quartets performed 41 songs during a two-hour winners were from Macomb Chapter. As the details show. Preparation for the show led to a resurgence of become firm, we will post information on the PioNet quartet activity this summer, with chords floating and will have fliers posted at the fall convention. from all corners of the Park Theater during breaks. I also want to remind you of our annual show next The 16th Annual Chester P. Oonk Memorial Tag February. Featured quartets are gold medallists, Contest, hosted by Mark Andrew on the bank of Lake NIGHT LIFE, and from a magical kingdom down in Macatawa, produced some winners: First place in the Florida, the HUMDINGERS. We will have all the infor- pro division went to Mitch Hall, Jack Oonk, Mike mation in the January/February issue of the Trouba- Oonk, and James Hall. The novice contest was won dour. Tickets will be on sale the beginning of Decem- by Chuck Kreun, James Hall, Bill McAndrew, and ber. Just contact a chapter member. Art Lane. James Hall received the Bart Tillit Tag Hog Good luck to all the competing quartets and cho- Award for singing in the most quartets and the Bob ruses in the fall district competition. The GENTLEMEN Von Ins Gut Bucket Award for being the best bass. SONGSTERS will be there with you. More than 60 members, sweethearts, and friends And if you have time some Monday night, stop by said goodbye to summer with a “three-hour cruise” on Starr Presbyterian Church on the corner of Crooks the Port City Princess. The annual appreciation event Road and 13 Mile in Royal Oak. We would love to for spouses, organized by Dale Bekker, included din- sing one with you. &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH " @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! PHILATOGA TOWNSHIP and the SILVER DOMES. The 3XQ`dUbc BIG CHIEF CHORUS will be re-creating its hockey “shtick,” last presented at Battle Creek. Y^1SdY_^ The chapter Board has instituted a Big Chief Membership Contest to run through December 31, 2001. First prize of $100 goes to the member spon- soring the highest number of new Society members. +ROODQG Second prize goes to the member sponsoring the highest number of guests. And a special bonus prize &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH of two preferred-seating tickets to the 2002 interna- ner and dancing on Muskegon Lake and sunset on tional convention will be awarded to a member re- Lake Michigan. sponsible for three new Society members joining in that time period. @_^dYQS GQdUbV_bT 2i:_X^3_g\YcXQg =QS_]R 2iB_i7eb^Ui There’s a new sense of vibrancy (no, not vibrato) in the Pontiac-Waterford Chapter. Attendance has been Our Harmony Heritage Chorus has been working high, even on those hot, muggy July nights, when the hard with our new director, Carl Dahlke, and the im- Crary Middle School music room had to be cooled by provement is showing. It takes a lot of work on both noisy floor fans. sides to get locked in with a new director but, of The Pontiac-Waterford Chorus was featured on course, it’s all worth it. page 3 of the Oakland Press on Thursday, August 9, Meanwhile, we’ve had a great summer with some in an article written by Cindy Blaylock based on in- of the regular summer outings, mourned the loss of a terviews with Mel Parrish, John Cowlishaw, Bill couple of old friends, and gained a few new faces. Pascher, and Chris Miller, and her visit to our chapter Of course, we are extremely proud of our own rehearsal on August 7. The article is available on-line POWER PLAY and the great things they did in Nash- at 2Qdd\U3bUU[ 2i4YS[CSX\UU The Battle Creek Chapter will be putting on a cabaret 3LRQHHU 'LVWULW 352%( &RRUGLQDWRU -LP 6W\HU OHIW show November 9. We will be having a ham and SUHVHQWV WKH 3LRQHHU 'LVWULW %XOOHWLQ (GLWRU RI WKH chicken dinner, followed by a good time of harmoni- CQWY^Qg2Qi Our annual show on Saturday, September 8, was a 2iBQ\`X2b_g^ great success. With a script by Russ Seely, “Send in the Clones” exhibited all of the craziness you’d ex- It is hard to believe that it is already time for competi- pect from Russ. Strange Dr. Von Cellphone (Mike tion again. Although our HARBOR SOUNDS CHORUS Sullivan) created a Dracula/Frankenstein-type mon- will not be on stage this time around, we will have a ster named Franky (John Wade). The doctor also al- number of guys there to participate in the other activi- tered a few other members of the cast. ties and, of course, cheering for all those participating Quartets featured on the show were FERMATA NO- in the competition. WHERE and POWER PLAY. On September 2, over a third of our chapter was at The Grosse Pointe spotlight falls on show chair- Harrisville for Harmony Weekend and, for the sev- man Dale Barber who put together a great, all-Pioneer enth year in a row, we brought home the trophy for show. Never a man to shrink from responsibilities for the chapter with the highest percentage of members in &RQWLQXHGRQSDJH attendance. This year there were representatives from "" @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! repairing the old farm wagon so we can use it safely. 3XQ`dUbc With the cooperation of Mrs. Regina Schlaff, choir director at Reeths-Puffer High School, we were able Y^1SdY_^ to send six students to the Harmony Explosion Camp at Ball State University in July. The chapter received a $500.00 donation for part of the tuition and the Reeths-Puffer Choir parents furnished the rest. We *URVVH3RLQWH are hoping a good quartet will develop from this &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH group. The chapter’s 61st annual show is scheduled for the chapter, Dale attacked the ever-so-many obliga- October 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mona Shores Commu- tions attendant to his job. nity Center for the Performing Arts in Muskegon. Taking charge of a Barbershop show, “Everything Old is New Again” is the theme. Guest One of the toughest jobs that I know, quartets are district champs, FOUR MAN FISHIN’ Takes a selfless sorta guy. TACKLE CHOIR along with TRI-COUNTY RECLAMA- One on whom you can rely, TION PROJECT and NORTHERN CONNECTION. Long- Just like Dale who can make it all flow. time chapter member Henry Malmquist sings with the NORTHERN CONNECTION during winters in the Phoe- nix area and will rejoin them for the evening. =ec[UW_^ Our SHORELINE CHORUS will be joined on stage 2i6bQ^[CS_dd by a 35-man chorus from Mona Shores High School under the direction of Choir Director Shawn Lawton. This last summer, the chapter members sang five per- Chapter quartets HARMONY TRANSFER and ACT formances. We sang at the Roosevelt Park Gazebo, FOUR will complete the program. with a rehearsal and guest night at the Roosevelt Park Call 231-722-2243 or 616-842-8904 for tickets. Community Center after the show. Two days later, on Credit card orders will be accepted. Afterglow Chair- man Dave Buchan has arranged a buffet lunch at the Doo Drop Inn Restaurant. B_SXUcdUb 2i7U_bWUCSX]YTd The chorus has been very busy this summer with per- formances at senior citizen facilities and in prepara- tion for our annual appearance at the Rochester Art & Apples Fine Arts Festival. Director Andy Brenz. is diligently working with the chorus in readiness for our October 27 show. Andy is getting support from Mike Hartrick who has July 28, we entertained at the Fruitland Township recently returned, overflowing with energy and enthu- “Blue Berry Festival.” The chapter members sang siasm, after a week at Directors College. We also feel “Pole Cat” songs on the chapter float for parade audi- very fortunate to have the benefit of Lynne Peirce’s ences at Muskegon’s “Summer Celebration,” Fre- chorus coaching. mont’s “National Baby Food Festival,” and North This year we are working with a prepared script Muskegon’s “North Side Spectacular.” and theme entitled “Through the Years” provided by Chorus Manager Tom Porritt pulled the float with Kenosha and premiered at Harmony College in 1998. his van and manned the P. A. system. We are grateful Guest quartets for the show will be international quar- to Tom Porritt, Dave Jones, Bob Weber, and Bill To- ter-finalists FREESTYLE and RUMORS. bias who have contributed their labor to building and ?Sd >_f 4US" ! @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb "# GQi^U )DOORQYHQWLRQ 2i7QbiCY]_^ &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH Although our RENAISSANCE CHORUS performed at 9:00 a.m. the same day. many times throughout the summer, the highlight The convention, headquartered at McCamly Plaza had to be on July 26 when we sang before more than Hotel downtown, will be hosted by the Flint Chap- 1,000 people at the annual Detroit City Retirees ter. (All event information in this story is tentative, pending a pre-convention planning meeting which was held after Troubadour press time.) Semifinals and finals to select a new district quar- tet champion will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively, at W. K. Kellogg Audito- rium. A Senior Quartet Contest will be folded into the Friday night semifinals. The winner will represent Pioneer at the mid-winter international convention. The chorus contest, to select a district representa- tive to the international convention next summer, will be at noon Saturday at the same auditorium. luncheon at Burton Manor in Livonia. Assistant Di- Entry deadline for all quartets and choruses was rector Hal Reid led us through a 20-minute perform- set for October 5. Any questions can be answered by ance that the audience obviously enjoyed. Ed Fritzen of Kalamazoo, district VP of contest & We’re readying our two-song package for the fall judging ([email protected]). competition where we’ve been absent from recently. 2WKHUDWLYLWLHV Many thanks go to our coaches Sue Gleason, Matt A show sponsored by the Quartet Champions Asso- Coombs, and Jim Stephens for their expertise and en- ciation will begin a half hour after the Friday night couragement. quartet semifinals at McCamly Plaza Hotel. Cost is $5. Past district quartet champions will showcase their talents and also sing in the QCA chorus. The convention is to conclude with a Gospel sing at 9:00 a.m. Sunday at the headquarters hotel. A Barbershop Shop and a Ladies’ Hospitality Room will be open when competitions are not in progress. The Flint Chapter will sponsor a raffle with pro- ceeds going to the Harmony Foundation, which helps support activities including SingAmerica. Convention chairman is Larry Parker ([email protected]) of Lansing. Convention registration forms can be printed off of the district’s Web site (http://www.harmonize. com/Pioneer/pio.htm). Deadline for early registra- tion at $20 per person is Friday, October 5. After that, the price is $25. Hotel reservations through the convention bureau were closed in September. Other convention information also is on the dis- trict Web site. Also watch the PioNet, the district’s e-mail list, for updates to the schedule. "$ @Y_^UUbDb_eRQT_eb ?Sd >_f 4US" ! GQi^U3XQ`dUb C@52CAC1 9^S #&% 1^^1bR_bDbQY\ NON-PROFIT ORG. Rap is to music what Etch-A- Sketch is to art. I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather ... not @_cd]QcdUb*4QdUT]QdUbYQ\±@\UQcUBEC8 screaming and yelling like the 1^_VVYSYQ\`eR\YSQdY_^_VdXU@Y_^UUb4YcdbYSd1cc_SYQdY_^_V3XQ`dUbc_VdXUC_SYUdi V_bdXU passengers in his car. @bUcUbfQdY_^Q^T5^S_ebQWU]U^d_V2QbRUbCX_`AeQbdUdCY^WY^WY^1]UbYSQ 9^S E`S_]Y^W5fU^dc 6SRWOLJKWRQ%RE:LQWHUV 2001 &RQWLQXHGIURPSDJH 2W 3LRQHHU'LVWULW)DOO&RQYHQWLRQ%DWWOH&UHHN the OLDE TOWNE FOUR. I could see then, back in the 2W5RKHVWHU6KRZ mid-70s, that the HARMONIZERS were going places. Talk about organization! 1RY3RQWLD:DWHUIRUG6KRZ I came back to Michigan in 1979 as deputy super- 1RY+XURQ9DOOH\6KRZ&RQWDW%RE7D\ORU intendent of the East Lansing Public Schools. The CAPITOL CITY CHORUS in Lansing was looking for a 'H&276*XOO/DNH0LKLJDQ&RQWDW-RKQ director, but I turned them down, thinking I was too *LOOHVSLH busy and besides that, they met on Monday nights 'H *UDQG5DSLGV6KRZ when I had to attend school board meetings. One of the chapter members whom I had known from my earlier years in Michigan invited me out to 2002 lunch. I was surprised when six other members of -DQ0LG:LQWHU&RQYHQWLRQDW5LYHUVLGH&DOLI the chorus showed up at the restaurant and sat down )HE'HWURLW2DNODQG6KRZ&RQWDW7RP8LNHU with us. They were there to inform me that they had changed chorus rehearsal night and that I had no ex- 0DUK:D\QH6KRZ&RQWDW0DUN3ULWKDUG cuse not to direct them. What followed were three of my happiest years in Barbershopping with a great group of guys in Lansing. 0DUK .DODPD]RR6KRZ My career eventually took me to Essexville, 0DUK /DQVLQJ6KRZ Michigan, where I became superintendent of schools $SULO0RQURH1RUWK6KRZ for 17 years. (Finally found a job I could keep!) I joined the Saginaw-Bay Chapter and have been there $SULO*UDQG5DSLGV6KRZ ever since. $SULO3LRQHHU'LVWULW&RQYHQWLRQ I have had the privilege of singing in some pretty 0D\0DRPE6KRZ good quartets with guys like Len Johnson, Jim Gross, Dick Mueller, Frank Bateson, and others, and 1RWH $OO KDSWHU VKRZ DWLYLWLHV PXVW EH OHDUHG also directed the chorus for several years. Now I’m WKURXJK 3LRQHHU 'LVWULW 6HUHWDU\ -DN 6KQHLGHU “just a singer,” but I’m still having fun. RQWDWLQIRUPDWLRQRQSDJH Barbershopping continues to enrich my life.