Tallahassee Democrat 12/09/2012 Copy Reduced to %d%% from original to fit letter page Page : F07

| RING A CHORD | | MERRIAM-WEBSTER WORDS OF 2012 | Barbershop quartets celebrate by singing in perfect Peggy Brady sing the storylines of Special to the Democrat folk ballads, the lyrics of love and the pas- Thanks to the election, socialism and capitalism are wed as sion and affirmation of Merriam-Webster's most looked-up words of 2012. AP singing owes a great gospel music. Barber- deal to African-Amer- shop singers also cap- ican barbers and their ture the sorrow of the Capitalism and socialism customers, who sang to blues and the sheer fun entertain themselves. of pop songs — from Retired FSU English melodies by Irving Ber- wed as words of the year professor and avid bar- lin and the Beatles, to By Leanne Italie that are in the national bershopper Bruce Bick- Ricky Nelson, the Beach Associated Press conversation,” said Soko- ley explained his attrac- Boys, Elton John and lowski from company tion to this art form. Michael Jackson. NEW YORK — Thanks to headquarters in Spring- “The first time you Aperformancebythequartet“EqualTime”lastyearat Around this time of the election, socialism field, Mass. “The thing sing a chord perfectly in Westminster Oaks. (Left to right) Donna Lerner, tenor; year, they also sing ar- and capitalism are forev- about an election year is abarbershopquartet, Gerry Frost, lead; Bruce Bickley, bass; Woody Wise, rangements of Christ- er wed as Merriam-Web- it generates a huge your chest cavity res- baritone. mas carols hailing from ster’s most looked-up amount of very specific onates with the syn- the 1600s. words of 2012. interest.” chronized vibrations,” Barbershoppers say Traffic for the un- Democracy, globaliza- he said. “You may even that once you sing with likely pair on the compa- tion, marriage and bigot hear that magical fifth the group (or in their ny’s website about dou- —alltouchedbypolitics note, so to speak, in a lingo, once you “ring a bled this year from the —madetheTop10,inno chord technically pro- chord”), you’ve year before as the health particular order. The duced by only four launched yourself on a care debate heated up latter two were driven in voices. And then you physically exhilarating, and discussion intensi- part by the fight for catch yourself smiling. IF YOU GO geographically diverse fied over “American same-sex marriage ac- Wow — that sounded and historically fasci- capitalism” versus “Eu- ceptance. great! I want to do that What: The Capital Chordsmen Holiday Concert nating journey into vo- ropean socialism,” said Last year’s word of the again. What’s our next Where: Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St. cal music history and the editor at large, Peter year was austerity. Be- ? You run the happy When: 7p.m.Thursday performance. According Sokolowski. fore that, it was prag- risk of being hooked on Information: Adults $12.50, seniors $10, students $5. Call to English writer Aldous The choice revealed vocal harmony for life. 891-4000. Huxley, the audiences Wednesday was “kind of See WEBSTER » 9F As I have been.” also benefit. ano-brainer,”hesaid. The tradition of four- “There is no bad day The side-by-side interest part harmony lies in the founded in 1938. It is the share the common bond that can’t be overcome among political candi- Only complex musical struc- largest men’s a cappella of a love of singing.” by listening to a barber- dates and around kitchen tures of peoples from music organization in Divided into quartets shop quartet,” he said. tables prompted the dic- Trust the coast of West and the world, with choruses with creative names like “This is just truth, plain tionary folk to settle on Central Africa who were all over the U.S. and in a The Rolling Tones, In-A- and simple.” two words of the year Your forcibly brought in slave dozen nations. Chord, Equal Time and rather than one for the ships to the Americas. “You can meet a bar- Revised Edition, each The Capital Chordsmen rehearse first time since the acco- Smile But singing pure vocal bershopper from any- group of four unaccom- Thursday nights from 7 to 9:30 lade began in 2003. music also dates back to where in the world and panied voices produces p.m. at the Tallahassee Senior “They’re words that to a ancient times — to tribal sing the same songs, all the chords and melo- Center. Visit their website at sort of encapsulate the cultures and ethnically ringing the same chords dies in every song. They www.capitalchordsmen.org. zeitgeist. They’re words and geographically di- in the same places in Professional verse community song each song,” Bickley events celebrating war said. “ and peace, hope and transmits a universal longing, love and loss. language.” Those traditions are Tallahassee’s chapter, preserved by the nation- the Capital Chordsmen, JEWELRY & DESIGN $ al Barbershop Harmony is one of about 40 in 119 Society — formerly Florida, and according Betton Place Shops Same products seen on television’s known as the tongue- to Bickley, it’s a diverse ~Above Food Glorious Food~ Extreme Makeover twisting SPEBSQSA, the group. Expert Design and Repair Neal B. Waldman, DDS Society for the Preser- “It includes govern- Beautiful Estate & Consignment Jewelry vation and Encourage- ment employees, college (850) 383-1052 ment of Barbershop students, businessmen, Since 1995 2808 Remington Green Cir. - Suite 200 With coupon. Other services may have additional TD-0000221577 Open Christmas Eve Quartet Singing in farmers and profession- charges. Cosmetic bleaching D00150 exam included America — which was als,” he said. “We all 1950-M Thomasville Road at Betton • 422-1373 •HolidayHours:Mon-Fri10-6•Sat10-4 TD-0000221784 TLH » TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT » SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2012 » 7 Copyright © 2012 Tallahassee Democrat. All rights reserved. Use of this site signifies your agreementDecember to the 9, 2012 Terms 1:45 of pmService / Powered and Privacyby TECNAVIA Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2007. 12/09/2012