Nancy Bergman

Nancy Bergman, Master Arranger, was the "Nancy B" of Nancy B Music. Her arrangements are acclaimed far and wide...known for their ease of execution and musical excellence. Although her main focus was designing music for the members of Sweet Adelines International and other women's barbershop harmony organizations throughout the world, the gentlemen of the barbershop world also appreciate her translations to their deeper voice resonance.

Nancy began arranging in 1951 under the guidance of Floyd Connett, mentor and quartet coach. After 50+ years of devoted service to Sweet Adelines as a quartet singer (Queen of Harmony), chorus director, judge, international faculty, international board of directors, managing director of the Sweet Adelines headquarters office (1957-1968)...she was honored with the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

Joni Bescos

Joni joined Sweet Adelines International (Sweet Adelines, Inc., at the time) in 1958. Since that time, she distinguished herself while making a major impact on virtually every aspect of this craft.

As director of the Verdugo Hills Chorus (Glendale, CA) from 1966 to 1986, Joni led the chorus to eight regional championships and five international medals. As a quartet performer, she won one bronze (1973) and two silver (1975 and 1976) medals as baritone of the Chansonniers. She sang tenor with 4 for the Show, winning the coveted International Championship in 1984. Joni also won one silver and three gold medals as a member of the acclaimed Rich-Tone Chorus, which she joined in 1989. In 2000, the Rich-Tones honored her with a lifetime membership in the chorus.

Joni excelled in the judging program, as well, attaining the rank of Certified Judge in three of the four categories-Music, Sound, and Expression. Although it has undergone minor revisions since first publication, she was the original author of the current Judging Category Description Booklet. Joni was appointed to the International Faculty upon its formation in 1963, and has attained the highest rank available, that of Certified International Faculty.

Dave Briner

Dave Briner wrote barbershop arrangements for over 40 years, many of which have been published by the Barbershop Harmony Society. He has written extensively for both men's and women's voices, some 8-part charts for both together, and a few for female soloist with male or female chorus backup.

His charts for men have been sung by The Sidewinders, Far Westerners, 139th Street Quartet, Nightlife, Metropolis, Saturday Evening Post, Storm Front, Revival, and Platinum quartets, and by the Masters Of Harmony, Phoenicians, Spirit Of Phoenix, Southern Gateway, and Great America choruses.

Rob Campbell

Dr. Rob Campbell joined the Barbershop Harmony Society in 1971 at the age of 16 and has served the society in many capacities over the years. He is current Chairman of the Lou Perry Scholarship Fund, a special project that funds two arranging scholarships each year to Harmony University.

Rob has been a judge since 1988 and is past Music Category Specialist 2005-2007, which includes three years on the Society Contest and Judging Committee. He has judged the BHS International Contest seven times. He served six years on the Publications Subcommittee that chooses, edits and publishes society arrangements. He has fifteen published arrangements to his credit, and many others unpublished.

Jim Clancy

Jim Clancy, in his tenure as musical director of The Vocal Majority Chorus has built an international reputation as composer, arranger, clinician, and vocalist. Clancy has conducted the Chorus in performances throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland, England, before two United States Presidents, at national athletic events, with major symphony orchestras, and before hundreds of national conventions. Eleven-time International Gold Medal winners of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the reputation of The Vocal Majority Chorus is a reflection of the man who has served as its primary director for more than 35 years. Jim Clancy is often called upon as a coach with national and international choral groups, having conducted multiple concerts for the American Choral Directors Association and Music Educators National Conference.

Gene Cokeroft

Most Barbershoppers would recognize Gene primarily as the tenor of 1961 International Quartet Champion The Suntones, a landmark, trendsetting quartet whose musical innovations and wide-ranging public appearances brought the style to millions of listeners.

A prolific arranger and composer, Gene is credited with dozens of charts in our library, including definitive versions still sung today, and with his wife Iris, composed the stalwart show favorite "They Wrote 'Em In The Good Old Days." A committed chapter chorus director, Gene helmed the Miamians Chorus for more than 40 years.

In the past decade, Gene had devoted himself to bringing barbershop to a new generation of singers, as a key player in the outreach movement. He formed, directed and took the Young Miamians to the International Youth Chorus Festival in 2009, a group which proved a hotbed of young talent.

For these, and many other unsung moments of mentorship and joy, Gene Cokeroft earned the distinction as the only man to TWICE be inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society's Hall of Fame: first in 2005, as part of The Suntones, and again in 2009, as an individual of immense merit.

Renee Craig

Renee Craig, whose musical career started almost as soon as she could walk on stage, brought an inexhaustible energy to everything she did. She had extensive experience in the jazz, pop and barbershop styles and is a composer, vocal arranger, conductor, soloist, group singer and pianist, specializing in both commercial and amateur projects.

In the barbershop world, Renee has done just about everything musical. Acknowledged to be one of the most prominent vocal groups in the history of barbershop style harmony, Renee's quartet, the Cracker Jills, became International Champions, traveled the barbershop "circuit" for twenty years with Renee as lead singer and arranger. The "Jills" played a significant role in the development of the style and sound of barbershop harmony as we know it today. The Cracker Jills recorded three albums during their career that remain an enduring example of accomplishments. A re-release of selections drawn from these albums has renewed their popularity.

Aaron Dale

Born and raised in Kentucky, Aaron spent several of his high school years in Germany due to his father's contracting work for the U.S. Government. After a semester at Western Kentucky University, he went to Birmingham, England, to serve a two-year mission for the Mormon Church. Returning to the United States, he enrolled in the University of Kentucky, where he met his wife-to-be, Samantha. They were married in June of 1999 and honeymooned at the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Convention in Anaheim.

Aaron's arranging breakthrough came when Mark Hale started referring top quartets to him. OC Times came to him needing new material for the 2005 Salt Lake City International Contest and Aaron provided five songs for them. OC Times made hits of Aaron's arrangements of "Good Luck Charm," "Honey (Open That Door) / Hey Good Lookin' Medley," "Save The Last Dance For Me / Sway Medley," Elvis Presley's "Love Me" and Paul Anka's "Put Your Head On My Shoulder." The quartet added a sixth Aaron Dale arrangement, "Stormy Weather," the following summer in Indianapolis. This summer in Denver, OC Times will debut four more Aaron Dale charts on the International stage.

Tom Gentry

Tom fell in love with barbershop music at age 16 when he sang in his high school's production of The Music Man. Barbershop has been his life ever since. He has sung at the international level in a quartet and two medalist choruses, directed choruses, worked at Harmony Hall, taught at countless schools, been a friend and mentor to Harmony, Inc., worked with numerous Sweet Adelines International groups, and coached and judged all over the world. He is a past Music Category specialist for the Barbershop Harmony Society, and has been arranging for all of his 56-year career.

Wayne Grimmer

Wayne earned a Master's degree in Composition and Arranging from Five Towns College in his native New York, where he taught for several years as a music professor. While living in New York, he was the Musical Director of three barbershop choruses and he has served as a guest director and clinician for various youth barbershop harmony camps and workshops. He is now, appropriately, a resident of Nashville, Tennessee (aka "Music City, USA"). His popular A Cappella arrangements have been published by Hal Leonard and are performed by quartets and choruses all over the world. Wayne is the resident vocal arranger for 'Round Midnight.

Theo Hicks

Theo Hicks is an active composer and arranger and has written music for groups all over the world. Many of his arrangements have been premiered and performed by top choruses and quartets at the Barbershop Harmony Society's (BHS) International Conventions, and he has also had several arrangements officially published by the BHS in their catalog. His composition of i carry your heart with me won the Best Original Composition at Anderson University's Concerto/Aria Competition in 2009.

As a member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) and the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA), Theo is an active choral music educator that has presented classes at the Indiana Music Educator's Association (IMEA) and Indiana Choral Director's Association Conference (ICDA). He has also served on the faculty of Harmony University (BHS) for several years in Nashville, TN. He taught in the Indiana Public Schools for over seven years and frequently serves as a guest clinician and conductor for music programs and ensembles throughout the world.

Val Hicks

He was born to Inez Holdaway and Val Dunn Hicks in Provo, Utah, February 6, 1933. He had many years of paralysis beginning at age eight, so his life has not been easy.

Dr. Hicks was an active alum of South High School, graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree, then a master's degree from University of Southern California, and obtained a doctorate in music from the University of Utah. Val loved music, thanks to his musical mother, Armont Willardsen at South High School, and SPEBSQSA.

At age 18 he became a member of SPEBSQSA (barbershop quartet singing). Val sang, directed choruses, served as an international judge, and coached quartets. He was invited by the Smithsonian Institute to create a special music section on barbershop quartet singing. Val composed many songs and also arranged thousands. (His arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner has been performed at the Super Bowl and elsewhere).

Clay Hine

Clay Hine has been an avid barbershop musician and arranger since about 6 months before he was born. He is a native Chicagoan, but has lived in the Atlanta Metro area since graduating from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering.

His early arrangements were for the purpose of helping Atlanta-area and Dixie District quartets and choruses, but he soon had requests nationwide from internationally competing choruses and quartets. Clay has arranged music for: Keepsake, PLATINUM, FRED, Four Voices, Riptide, Backbeat, Marquis, Nightlife, BSQ, Max Q, Bank Street, State Line Grocery, Overture, Sound Standard, Svelte Brothers, and many other internationally renowned groups. Clay's arrangement of Cuddle Up a Little Closer, as sung by Platinum at the 2000 international competition, remains the highest scoring quartet performance in the history of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Kevin Keller

A society member since 1978, Kevin has belonged to several choruses, including the Vocal Majority and Ambassadors of Harmony. Kevin sang baritone with Cheers!, 2003 6th place International Finalists, arranging most of their repertoire. He has sung in numerous other quartets, including the CSD District champions "The EIB Quartet". Kevin is an arranger, with his music being sung by numerous quartets and choruses at all levels. A certified music judge, Kevin served as Music Category Specialist from 2008-2010. Kevin will be the Society Contest & Judging Chairman for 2012-2013. He has also served on the Society's Music Publication Committee.

Kohl Kitzmiller

Kohl started singing barbershop at the age of 9 in Elkhart, IN. Kohl graduated from Ball State University with a Music Media Production Degree, and is currently a member of the South Bend-Mishawaka and serves as the Vice President of Music and Performance for the Greater Indianapolis chapter. Kohl is an active arranger for barbershop and a cappella music, makes learning tracks, and also works as a recording engineer and live sound technician. He resides in Indianapolis, serving as the Cardinal District Director of Youth in Harmony and the district's Harmony Explosion Camp Director.

Mel Knight

Mel joined the Barbershop Society in 1963 and was instrumental in founding the Lebanon, Oregon chapter. He directed the Eugene, Oregon chapter from 1980-1985 and took them to the International stage in 1983 and 1984. He worked on the Barbershop Harmony Society staff from 1985-1994, where he was the Director of Music Education and Services. During that time he wrote the "Music Leadership Team Manual," the "Improving Vocal Techniques Through The Warm Up" manual and was responsible for all musical activities for the barbershop Society. He also founded the "Director's College" to advance the education of Society chorus directors.

He was an accomplished arranger and composer, with many of his songs published by the Society. Mel also has written a number of jazz ensemble pieces while teaching in high school and junior college. He was a judge, first in 1971 in the Arrangement Category, and more recently in the Music Category.

Joe Liles

A member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Liles was also composer and arranger of music for religious and popular groups, as well as barbershop quartet and chorus singers. His barbershop catalog contains hundreds of original compositions and arrangements. Liles is listed in the International Who's Who in Music, received the 1999 MENC: National Association for Music Education award for his work in promoting music education. He was a life member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and an honorary life member of Sweet Adelines International.

Jon Nicholas

Jon was born in 1960, the year the Lexington chapter was chartered. He was exposed to barbershop harmony at an early age as his grandparents took him to the Louisville Thoroughbred Chorus Christmas show every year. Jon's great-grandfather, John Fulton Nicholas, sang in a barbershop quartet at the turn of the nineteenth century. At sixteen, Jon joined the Thoroughbreds and has been singing barbershop ever since.

Jon is an arranger and his charts are sung all over the world including Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. Jon also directs the Heart Of Kentucky Men's Chorus in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and coaches other choruses, quartets, and a cappella ensembles throughout the year.

Rudy Partin

Rudy Partin was a long-time Barbershopper and lover of a cappella harmony. With a gift for music planted deep into his soul by God, Rudy used his talents as a singer, arranger and director to bring his music to thousands, including directing his own chorus on the international stage in Barbershop competitions in the late 1980s. Such was Rudy's gift that many who knew him would tell you that he could hear a song on the radio and write it out note-perfect as the song was playing! Growing up in North Carolina, Rudy was always attracted to 'Southern Gospel' music and the exciting harmonies created by the many touring families, quartets and trios that often played in the area. Why this attraction to southern gospel music? He wasn't sure. His focus had been primarily on secular music all his life, particularly in his specialty of male four-part harmony, until his alcoholism stripped him of everything--his family, his job, and his music.

Adam Scott

Adam holds a M.M. in choral conducting from Oklahoma State University and a B.A. in music composition from Utah State University. He worked previously as music educator and editor of music publications for the Barbershop Harmony Society and currently serves as the VP of Music and Performance for the Rocky Mountain District of the BHS. He is certified with the BHS as a judge in the Music category and is a long-time faculty member of Harmony University.

Adam has written and/or arranged over five hundred pieces of music, including over a hundred barbershop arrangements for quartets and choruses. His classical music is sung by many High Schools and colleges in North America. He has collaborated with composers and arrangers including Dr. Kirby Shaw and Deke Sharon. He is published by MusicSpoke, Music House Publications, and his own private studio.

Burt Szabo

While teaching for many years at university levels, Burt composed and arranged a great variety of music for school and church use, and for barbershop quartets and choruses. He was a long time member of ASCAP, both as a composer and as a music publisher, and was a fifty year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Burt was inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society Hall of Fame in 2009. Two of his landmark publications, the Barbershop Arranging Manual (1980) and the Heritage of Harmony 50th Anniversary Songbook (1988) were considered the definitive works of the style at the time of their publication. With compositions and arrangements numbering in the hundreds (including dozens attributed to SPEBSQSA as works-for-hire), he was one of the most prolific and widely-sung barbershop arrangers of all time.

Ed Waesche

Ed (deceased) was the former president of the Barbershop Harmony Society, but much more than that he was a genius arranger for Barbershop quartets and choruses.

Ed Waesche was a member of the famous (in barbershop music circles) 'The New Yorkers'. The New Yorkers were a quartet of Barbershop music aficionados; David Johnson, Kevin Clifford, Ed Waesche III, and Al Fennell. They achieved the honor of becoming the Mid-Atlantic District Quartet Champions in 1982.

Ed was also a creative arranger and would arrange many old quartet favorites into choruses (sometimes 30 people). You can see the year 2000 Ed Waesche arrangement try "What'll I Do" sung by 'Platinum' here. For a chorus version try this one "Toyland" sung by 'Great Northern Union'. You can see how versatile this style and Ed's genius for arrangements can be.

Dan Wessler

Dan Wessler is a barbershop arranger, singer, and chorus director who currently resides in Freeport, Illinois. He has been arranging for barbershop quartets and choruses since 2011. Several groups have sung his arrangements on the Barbershop Harmony Society contest stage, at both the district and international level, to high acclaim. He writes arrangements for BHS contest, as well as for general show performance, and writes arrangements for men's and women's barbershop groups alike.

Dan sings bass in After Hours, the 2018 Barbershop Harmony Society International Quartet Champion, for whom Dan frequently arranges music. After Hours has performed for a variety of barbershop an non-barbershop shows all across the United States, and strives to simply bring joy to all types of audiences through their music.

David Wright

David Wright has become one of the most influential musicians in the history of the BHS. He has researched the origins of barbershop harmony and, since 1986, has been teaching a course on the history of the style at the BHS annual Harmony University. Also at that educational event, David's tag-singing class has become a "must" for barbershop enthusiasts.

As a composer, arranger and historian David has been featured in national radio and TV broadcasts at home and abroad, and has authored several articles on barbershop harmony and its role in the world of vocal harmony. His work often integrates the "close harmony" style with jazz, blues, gospel, country, doo-wop and contemporary a cappella. David has been on the leadership team of the St. Charles Missouri Ambassadors of Harmony since 1981, serving as Director from 1981 to 1990, and again from 1999 to 2001. He now serves as Associate Director.