Four Rascals Story

GradyGrady Kerr’sKerr’s PreservationPreservation ProjectProject The Lost Quartet Series MastersMasters ofof MischiefMischief See Page 9 The Preservation Project Lost Quartet Series October 2016 TheThe PreservationPreservation ProjectProject is published as a continuation and adaptation of the award winning magazine, PRESERVATION, created by Barbershop Historian Grady Kerr. It is our goal to promote, educate, and pay tribute to those who came before and made it possible for us to enjoy the close harmony performed by thousands of men and women today. Your Preservation Crew Society Historian / Researcher / Writer / Editor / Layout Our sincere thanks to the following people Grady Kerr who helped gather information in this issue: [email protected] Don Dobson Patient Proofreaders & Fantastic Fact Checkers Jimmy & Lois Vienneau Ann McAlexander Haley Vienneau Bob Sutton Fran & Sheila Page Nancy Hertz Ellis Bobby & Kathy Pierce Lisa Spirito Graphic Supervisor Production Supervisor Steve Spirito Bruce Checca Leo Larivee Terry Clarke Rich Knapp All articles herein, unless otherwise credited, are written by the editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions Jim Bader of the Barbershop Harmony Society, any District, any historian, any barbershopper, the BHS HQ Staff , Richard Millard Jr. or the EDITOR. Ken Thomas Daniel Costello Carl Hancuff Did you see Bob Franklin our last issue Harlan Wilson on the Norm Mendenhall Jax of Joe Schlesinger Harmony? Bob Sutton Leo Larivee READ IT Elizabeth Davies HERE James Given Curtis Terry Eddie Holt Lorin May PRESERVATION Tom Emmert John Scott Crawford Online! Robert Kelly All past 23 issues of PRESERVATION Robert Disney are available for FREE Guy Haas Ryan Iorio 2 The Preservation Project Lost Quartet Series October 2016 The TRUETRUE Story Behind the FoundingTRUETRUE of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. by Jerry Girard, Boston Chapter As seen in the DECEMBER 1949 issue of THE HARMONIZER After 11 years it’s time for truth to out. Here His great plan was born. And also, that is is the real story of the Society’s founding. why pitch pipes, rather than pianos, are used Our illustrious founder, O.C. Cash, was a in S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. salesman of musical instruments. One day he put through an order for four boxes of pitch pipes, about a year's normal supply. But the order got fouled up. Instead of “four boxes,” they made four boxcars of pitch pipes and the company embarked on a new era of prosperity. After weeks of working around the clock, the last little pitch pipe was completed, and the four boxcars were dispatched to Mr. Cash. Imagine his astonishment! He rushed to the factory and demanded an audience with the president, where he was received like a conquering hero. The president of the pitch pipe company was a skillful man. He took our hero on a tour of the factory where he was cheered by the happy workers, and then the shrewd president took him through the town and showed him the signs of prosperity. Cash was in such a dilemma that he went home without having said a word about the tragic mistake. There weren't enough music 1949 = $2.55 teachers in the whole world to use all those 2016 = $33.34 pitch pipes. One day Mr. Cash was getting a haircut. As he listened to four customers trying to harmonize, they were having a tough time trying to get a good key. “Here, try this,” said he, pulling out one of the pitch pipes. 1t was a success. Mr. Cash calculated how fast he could sell his pitch pipes if every fourth man in the U. S. were a potential customer. 3 The Preservation Project Lost Quartet Series October 2016 Re-Inventing the Pitch Pipe Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door Ralph Waldo Emerson Curtis Terry has done just that. He has taken the iconic Pitch Pipe and created his own cottage industry by simply making them “personal.” The original pitch instrument was invented by Wm. Kratt Sr. in 1925 and it’s estimated they have sold more than three million since. (See here for the history of the Kratt pipes). Currently PhlyPipes only uses the There is also a "Tombo" style pipe. The Tombo pipes competitor of Kratt are a very good platform to use for this called Tombo (made in due to their design and base Japan) … very popular construction. among barbershoppers these days. Curtis’s quartet (McPhly) noticed the The concept was simple. They would keys printed on their Tombo pipes were customize the face of these pipes for starting to wear off. They began having those who wanted them personalized, to write the keys on the pipes with a creating “works of art.” They use Sharpie. This gave artist Curtis an idea. quartet / chorus logos and the groups’ names. During this particular rehearsal I The inner workings are not changed or happened to be custom painting a altered in any way. This customization Harley for a friend of mine. I took our also provides a solution to another quartet Tombo and gave it a quick design flaw in the Tombo: the pitches makeover. - Curtis Terry marked on the face are small and sometimes hard to read. PhlyPipes uses The PhlyPipe concept was born … but the back of the pitch pipe for the not shared with the world until years pitches. The keys are clearly displayed later. It wasn't until a few years later in a larger font that is high contrast to that a nudge from barbershoppers on the base color of the pipe … and the FaceBook inspired them to actually entire pipe is covered over with a clear begin the project. coating, so the letters and designs never wear off! 4 The Preservation Project Lost Quartet Series October 2016 Curtis is a professional custom painter, The pipes turned out great, and from so this came quite naturally for him. He there the idea exploded and orders has spent years custom painting cars, began coming in. Social Media is a motorcycles, trucks, and almost powerful tool. The concept (one can anything else that he can get his hands say) went VIRAL. on. Not only are the pipes customized for McPhly tenor Brian Fox was the performer(s), the company also gets instrumental in reviving the idea and orders from people who want a special getting it moving forward. Early in gift for someone. Close to 50 percent of 2015 he took his own Tombo and the orders that come through are painted it and posted it to some of the ultimately gifts for another person. Barbershop Facebook groups. That was where most of the initial buzz got Historically Speaking started. Brian has since moved to The very first PhlyPipe was done in England but is still very much involved 2009 for McPhly, but the first one in any way he can be. produced for “someone else” (PhlyPipe Curtis tells us, We posted the concept Numero Uno) was produced in July on Facebook prior to the Pittsburgh 2015 and presented to the happy new owners in Pittsburgh during the convention and immediately received International convention. positive responses and feedback; we even got a few initial orders. This gave McPhly Quartet also used one on us the opportunity to showcase our stage in Pittsburgh to officially original vision and what we could do to inaugurate the new generation of pitch make High-Quality PhlyPipes. instruments. Worth A Lot of Money in 50 Years Travis Tabares, the original Bass of McPhly, still owns the “original” concept pipe produced back in 2009. It was just a very quick rough draft at the time. That original PhlyPipe is in VERY rough shape. Over the last seven Ringmasters, 2012 champs, proudly display years Travis has dropped it too many their new PhlyPipe. Rasmus Krigström (L), times to count, so Emanuel Roll (Br), Martin Wahlgren (Bs), it now sports & Jakob Stenberg (T) many chips and Outside of the pipes we made for scratches … we McPhly, our first customer was Ann call it McAlexander. She asked us to make “personality.” PhlyPipes for SpotOn and Rackartyg. It’s tough to be #1 5 The Preservation Project Lost Quartet Series October 2016 While the barbershop Just Who Is This Guy? communities are their Curtis Terry is a third generation primary customers, the barbershopper. His father and company also sells to grandfather were both founding a cappella groups, members of the Color Country bands, choir students, Chorus in St. George, Utah. A 14-year and their directors. A Society member he was a 12-year lot of interest has member of the Sound of the Rockies Music City Chorus been shown by Chorus led by Darin Drown. Curtis member ALlanson Reynolds receives his Harmony Camps and served them as lead section leader, very own PhlyPipe from even non-barbershop music team member, and front row Aaron Evens singers. member. He was with SOR for five of To date they have customized over 100 their seven chorus medals. Three years pipes, and orders are coming in every ago he moved back to southern Utah week. Mass production is not really and rejoined Color Country. possible, as each is created by hand and Quorum got their own PhlyPipe - Puck Ross (T), Chris is customer-specific. Vaughn (L), Gay Lewis (Bs), and Nick Gordon (Br) Each and every PhlyPipe is custom designed to the customer's specifications. The design process is extensive, and each customer is able to see a mock-up of the design before approving the order to be painted. I try to take each commissioned piece personally. I want them to love the finished product as much as I do.

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