2022 : Quorum

Stunning overtones in intricate arrangements powered veteran quartet Quorum to victory in the 2022 International Quartet Contest presented by the Barbershop Harmony Society. With the win, bass Gary Lewis became the first singer in the 85-year history of the Society to win gold in three different voice parts. He previously won as bari of Max Q (2007) and tenor of Platinum (2000). Lead singer Chris Vaughn picked up his second gold medal, previously winning with Gotcha! in 2004.

2019 : Signature

Signature took home the gold medal after a week of incredible performances in Salt Lake City in July 2019. Based out of south Florida, Signature has grown to be a crowd favorite with their world-class sound and their heartfelt and soulful deliveries of timeless classics like Dance With My Father, Proud Mary, Blame It on the Boogie, Think, and many other more "modern" songs you may never have thought could possibly be brought to life in the barbershop style.

2018 : After Hours

After Hours began at Bradley University in Peoria, IL in 2007. Peoria natives Tim Beutel (tenor) and Dan Wessler (bass) sang in a quartet with two college friends, and proceeded to capture the 2010 ILL District Quartet Championship. Over the proceeding years, as they began to excel in the BHS International Quartet Contest, their membership changed, as they picked up Wisconsin native Bryan Ziegler (baritone) and Ohio native Drew Ochoa (lead). They have since placed in the top ten in the International Quartet Contest multiple times, most recently winning1st PlaceGold Medal in the 2018 International Quartet Contest. 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.

2017 : Main Street

Mike McGee, Myron Whittlesey, Tony DeRosa and Roger Ross bring a combined 100+ years of barbershop experience to the stage. Notable past quartets include Keepsake, Max Q, Metropolis, Platinum and Rounders. While their involvement within the Barbershop Harmony Society is impressive, all four members have been or currently are performers at Walt Disney World with the Dapper Dans of Main St. USA and/or the Voices of Liberty. Entertaining audiences outside of barbershop venues include performances in film, television, radio and musical theater.

2016 : Forefront

Forefront Quartet formed in August of 2009. Since then, this quartet has enjoyed success at international barbershop competitions by placing 13th in 2010, 6th in 2011, and 7th in 2012! They were also named the 2010 and 2013 Cardinal District Quartet of the Year. They won the 2010 Cardinal District Quartet Championship and of over 300 district quartet competitors from around the nation, they finished with the highest score. In 2013 they won a 5th place bronze medal for their contest performances in Toronto.

Quickly becoming one of the Barbershop Harmony Society's most sought-after quartets, they pride themselves in providing their audiences with great music, artistry, and performance energy!

2015 : Instant Classic

Instant Classic the Barbershop Harmony Society's 2015 International Quartet Champion. The group is comprised of David (tenor), Theo (lead), Kohl (baritone), and Kyle (bass). They are four good friends with a passion for barbershop harmony, a cappella music, and youth outreach. They perform a variety of music from several decades and styles, including vocal jazz, musical theater, pop, and even R&B!

2014 : Musical Island Boys

The Musical Island Boys from Wellington have continued to prove themselves among the best male barbershop quartets in New Zealand and the world. Originally from Tawa College, the Musical Island Boys have gone from strength to strength over time, and continue to strive to perfect the craft of a cappella singing in the barbershop style. In 2002 AND 2003, they won the New Zealand Secondary Schools Young Men In Harmony competition. In 2003 they also placed third and received bronze medals at the New Zealand Open Mens' Competition in Hamilton. That year they placed second and received silver medals at the 7th Wellington Open Compeition, placing behind the National Champion Sweet Adelines Quartet Fourth Avenue.

2013 : Masterpiece

Masterpiece... a supreme artistic achievement; sometimes the work of one, sometimes a collaboration of many. In the world of vocal music, it is the marriage of multiple efforts to seamlessly become one. Rob, Patrick, Alan, and Brett have enjoyed success in various groups over their varied musical histories, and have finally come together to share a unique sound and experience with their audience.

2012 : Ringmasters

Together, four youngsters from Stockholm, Sweden form the quartet known as the Ringmasters. Rasmus Krigstrom, Emanuel Roll, Martin Wahlgren and Jakob Stenberg came together as a group during high school and have over the past few years gained momentum. Today they are one of the most promising young barbershop quartets in the world. Among many merits you'll find a gold medal from the CBQC in Nashville 2008 and a fourth place bronze from the world championship in barberhshop the summer of 2009 in Anaheim.

2010 : Storm Front

It has been an unbelievable journey for the 2010 International 1st Place Quartet Champions. The 2002 Rocky Mountain District champs made nine trips to the International contest stage, including Top 10 finishes each of the past six years. But on July 3, 2010, after a week of competition against the best Barbershop quartets in the world, Storm Front was awarded the elusive Gold medal!

For these four guys, the love of barbershop and great entertainment has blended to create show-stopping performances. They have been blessed to see tremendous success in their efforts. They are thankful to all the chapters and individuals who have supported them, and are most especially thankful to their families and friends for the love and encouragement they provide.

2009 : Crossroads

Crossroads is the new "superquartet" on the Barbershop Block, formed of four singers who are former BHS International Gold medalists in their own right, tenor Fred Farrell, lead Mike Slamka, bass Jim Henry and baritone Brandon Guyton. Henry won Gold in 1993 as a founding member and arranger of the legendary Gas House Gang, and is currently musical and artistic director of the 160-voice Ambassadors of Harmony. Guyton pocketed Gold in 2002 with Four Voices, Slamka sang his way to Gold with 2003 champs Power Play, and Farrell wore Gold with 1989 Quartet champs Second Edition. With this much vocal and arranging talent and experience, it came as no great surprise that newly-formed Crossroads struck Gold again in Anaheim, CA in 2009!

2008 : OC Times

Inspired by artists like Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra and Elvis, OC Times breathes new life into swing standards, rock and roll classics, and favorites from a variety of other genres. Hailing from Orange County, CA, Shawn York (tenor), Sean Devine (lead), Pat Claypool (baritone) and Cory Hunt (bass) take barbershop harmony back to where it started over a century ago: pop-culture.

In 2008, OC Times won the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Quartet Championship. They have been featured in major publications such asThe Wall Street Journal, Saturday Evening Post, and SPIN magazine. The quartet is also featured prominently in an upcoming documentary film entitled "American Harmony."

2007 : Max Q

Why the name Max Q? During the launch of space vehicles, the launch crew can be heard talking about "passing max q". That is the point where the combination of increasing speed and decreasing density is maximum. Vehicles are designed to withstand only a certain Maximum Q before they will suffer structural damage. When Max Q takes the stage, you will discover a new kind of increasing speed of sound and reduced vocal density that creates their own kind of structural damage. A barbershop super quartet!!

Members:- Greg Clancy, Tony De Rosa, Gary Lewis, Jeff Oxley

2006 : Vocal Spectrum

Vocal Spectrum has been singing together since 2003. The members of the quartet come from various musical backgrounds, from classical vocal training to jammin' in rock-n-roll bands. These 4 young men, who graduated from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, all majored in different fields of study. V.S was originally formed as a one-time educational quartet to sing for a local high school and has never stopped singing since! V.S. has traveled to Germany, Holland, Sweden, Russia, England, Japan, New Zealand and throughout the United States singing for various shows and conventions as well as teaching high school students about barbershop harmony.

2005 : Realtime

Realtime has been together since March of 2003, when John Newell arrived in Canada and mutual friends helped bring the group together. Since then it's been a musical whirlwind of activity, with three recordings, hundreds of shows and a world championship and a whole lot of fun under their belt. In 2008, Doug Broersma became the official lead singer, when John retired. Realtime became the 2005 International Quartet Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society in Salt Lake City. So having reached the pinnacle of the barbershop contest world, they have sung in their last contest, and received their final score in the barbershop genre.

2004 : Gotcha!

At an afterglow in September of 1996, four members of the Masters Of Harmony decided to sing a song. Three hours later, they had exhausted the entire repertoire from three choruses and a few international championship quartets! In short order, Gotcha! was born.

The quartet spent 1997 moving through the competition ranks, including sweeping the grand championship at the buckeye invitational. Riding high from first year successes, Gotcha! qualified for their first International Quartet contest in 1998 in Atlanta , with a 20th place finish. With renewed confidence, the quartet focused on the 1998 Far Western District contest in Phoenix, and came home with a championship trophy.

2003 : Power Play

Power Play was formed in 1988, and won the Pioneer (Michigan) District quartet championship in the fall of 1989. They've competed in international competition 12 times, most recently in Toronto where they earned international gold medals. Nothing can compare with the Power of family. This group consists of a father, his two sons, and his nephew.

2002 : Four Voices

In 1993, when Bradley High School students, Chad and Brandon Guyton, attended a Harmony Explosion presentation, they had no idea what lay ahead. A few years later, they recruited two fellow Lee University musicians, Lester Rector and Jayson VanHook, to form Four Voices. Contrary to popular belief, the "Four Voices" name was not inspired from the obvious, that is the requirement to fulfill the prerequisites of a quartet. Actually, these young men met in the Voices of Lee, a 16-member vocal orchestra group at Lee University, where they contributed four of the eight men's voices to make a unique, harmonious sound that has gained international recognition.

2001 : Michigan Jake

In 1983 Mark Hale and Greg Hollander joined the Barbershop Harmony Society. They quickly became friends and started singing in a quartet together within two months. This quartet, the Sound System, started with Mark on tenor and Greg on Baritone, but soon Greg moved to Bass and Mark moved to Baritone. Along with Phil Kinser, lead, and Mike Wheeley, tenor, they sang together for about five years, winning a district championship and competing at the International Competition in 1988. They retired in 1990.

2000 : Platinum

Platinum is a barbershop quartet, created in 1998 and the 2000 SPEBSQSA international quartet champions. They are famous for their long posts (held notes at the end of songs), particularly in their adaptation of the song Be Our Guest and in Clay Hine's arrangement of Auld Lang Syne, which is on Platinum's CD of the same name.

Connelly and DeRosa were also members of the 1992 international champion quartet Keepsake. Connelly won another championship in 1987 with the quartet Interstate Rivals. DeRosa and Lewis are the lead and baritone of the 2007 Champions, MaxQ. Kevin Miles has been a member of The Dapper Dans of Harmony and has served as the Voice of Epcot Center, both at Walt Disney World.

1999 : Fred

Born in 1908 in Kankakee, Illinois, Fred was named after his father, Fred. Despite his early love of music, he would soon become internationally adored as a star of both the small and silver screens as well as the visual inspiration for one of America's most cherished comic book icons. In fact... oops. Wrong Fred. Sorry.

Fred (the barbershop quartet, not that other guy) was formed in 1991 when four members of Marietta, Georgia's Big Chicken Chorus decided that they were better without all the extra dead weight. Many audiences and professional coaches would argue that were probably wrong.

1998 : Revival

Revival hails from San Diego, California and was formed in the summer of 1995. It didn't take long before they began making their mark at District and International quartet competitions. They earn the title of 1997 Far Western District Champions and went on to realize their ultimate dreams on the 4th of July in Atlanta, Georgia, when they were crowned 1998 SPEBSQSA International Quartet Champions!

1997 : Yesteryear

The original version of Yesteryear was formed in February 1984. Over the years, 5 personnel changes lead to the present foursome. We placed in the top twenty at our first international contest in July 1992 in New Orleans. In 1993, we broke into the top ten, placing 8t in Calgary, Canada. We then took our Johnny Appleseed District crown that October. our first medal came in July 1994, receiving a bronze for third place in Pittsburg, PA. July 1995, saw us win the silver medal in Miami Beach, FL, and again the silver in Salt Lake City, UT in 1996. Then on July 5th, 1997, we were named "International Champions."

1996 : Nightlife

Nightlife, from Southern California, is only the second quartet in barbershop singing history to win gold medals as both international quartet champions and as members of the winning barbershop chorus on the same day! Nightlife first got together in November 1990, and in the International competitions that followed, the quartet quickly achieved success, winning two bronze medals and a silver. But, in July 1996, Nightlife reached the pinnacle of success by being declared the new International Quartet Champion! Nightlife is: Tenor, Rob Menaker; Lead, John Sasine; Baritone, Jeff Baker, and Bass, Brett Littlefield Nightlife has performed around the throughout the country, and has sung for such celebrities as Dick Van Dyke, Bill Hanna of Hanna-Barbera, Ted Turner, and Jane Fonda. The quartet has appeared on all three major networks.

1995 : Marquis

From their inception in August 1993, the members of Marquis were committed to excellence in music and sharing the love of that music with their audience, while enjoying the friendship formed within the quartet and their families. This commitment enabled Randy, Jay, Dale, and Paul to take only twenty three months to win the gold medal at the 1995 International Barbershop Convention in Miami Beach. With their victory, the individual members f Marquis have accumulated twenty four appearances in international barbershop competition resulting in seventeen top five medals. Jay and Paul earned their second gold having previously won in 1987 with the Interstate Rivals.

1994 : Joker's Wild

Consider a deck of cards for a moment... The Ace is always the best, followed by the King and so on down the line. But when it comes to Barbershop Quartets, it's possible to be an Ace and King at the same time! How, you say? Simple. You just apply the card that can make anything happen... the Joker!

Joker's Wild was formed in August of 1990 when the original four members met informally at the Buckeye Invitational in Columbus, Ohio and harmonized together. The sound and enthusiasm of the evening convinced them to form a quartet to showcase their natural blend.

1993 : Gas House Gang

In the 1930's The St. Louis Cardinals baseball team was nicknamed "The Gas House Gang" to describe the players' fiery attitude toward the game and their fun-loving style of play. In 1987 a quartet from the St. Louis area chose the name to match its own personality. Since that time, the foursome's energetic singing style and diverse repertoire have proven the appropriateness of the title to people across North America and Europe. After winning the 1988 Central States District Competition in their first attempt, they began a steady climb up the International Competition ladder which culminated in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where they were awarded the 1993 International Quartet Championship with the highest point total ever scored on the International stage.

1992 : Keepsake

Hailing from Florida, the much-acclaimed Keepsake are an exciting addition to our catalog. They have dedicated this recording to Charles "Bub" Thomas of Walt Disney World's "Dapper Dans," and a marvelous tribute it is. Winners of the 1992 Quartet Championships, the group's stellar sound is sublime. The group's use of dynamics, the arrangements (by a who's-who of arranging talent) and their choice of material-most impressive all. Their exquisite "Lost In the Stars" (written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson) is a fondant of perfect notes. "Blue Velvet" is similarly rendered and has a signature coda; speaking of which, the ending of "How Deep Is the Ocean" is a show-stopper. The traditional barbershop fare, including "Make 'Em Laugh," "I Love a Piano" and "The Entertainer," is of course flawless. Don't miss this one!

1991 : The Ritz

The Ritz was a unique quartet in that it is comprised of four vocal music teachers, each from a different school district. Tenor Jim Shisler, lead Doug Nichol, bari D.J. Hiner and bass Ben Ayling. When the quartet won the Pioneer District Quartet Championship in 1984, The Ritz decided to enter all future BHS competitions. In Louisville, KY, in July of 1991, they became the international champions while representing the Johnny Appleseed District. During the quartet's active career The Ritz focused on having great concert performances and producing studio recordings. They produced nine exciting and successful releases.

1990 : Acoustix

This dynamic foursome has been electrifying audiences around the world for over 20 years. Acoustix has appeared on CNN, NBC's "Today Show," TNN's "The Statler Brothers Show," and two PBS specials. At the turn of the 21st century, Acoustix performed for a global audience of 175 million viewers on "ABC 2000," hosted by Peter Jennings.

Their most recent national television appearance was performing the Star Spangled Banner for game six of the 2007 NBA Finals. Acoustix has shared the stage with many talented acts, including The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, LeAnn Rimes, The Dixie Chicks, The King's Singers, Mitch Miller, Isaac Stern, Pete Fountain, Victor Borge, The Four Freshmen, The Gatlins, The Canadian Brass, The Dallas Wind Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

1989 : Second Edition

In late summer 1986, The Second Edition quartet formed. A few months later, they entered the fall Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A., Inc. at that time) Cardinal District (CAR) Quartet Contest and won. Shortly thereafter, tenor Allen Hatton left the group due to t In the summer of 1988, the quartet once again placed 2nd at the BHS International contest this time held in San Antonio, TX. One year later in Kansas City, MO, The Second Edition won the 1989 BHS International Quartet Championship! They were 20 (Doug), 21 (David), 22 (Fred) and 24 (Jamie). The quartet performed together all over the world, until retiring in the early 1990's.

1988 : Chiefs Of Staff

There's a nice close-up photo of one of the gold medals won in 1988 by this quartet from Des Plaines, IL on the back of 'Solid Gold,' and it's a beautiful thing-an apt match for the beauty of the performance that it takes to win one of them! There's also some great pix of the guys in Irish green outfits, in WWI military uniforms and in a nice group picture. 12 songs, some favorites: 'Looking at the World Through Rose Colored Glasses,' 'What Kind Of Fool Am I,' the very funny 'I Used To Call Her Baby/Baby Face/I Want A Girl Medley,' 'It's A Great Day for the Irish/It's A Long Way to Tipperary/MacNamara's Band Medley,' 'They Were All Out Of Step But Jim,' 'Lonesome, That's All,' Ricky Nelson's 'Mary Lou' and 'Kiss Me One More Time.' 'Solid Gold' is a finely-crafted, spirited collection from a hugely talented quartet who were named 1988's International Champs!

1987 : Interstate Rivals

1987 International Champions, the Rivals placed sixth in 1984, third in '85, and moved to second before topping the charts, so to speak. That they were the second youngest quartet ever to win the championship would seem to imply a lack of experience, but when they won they had 45 years barbershop singing among the four. Each of the Interstate Rivals went on to win another quartet championship, Joe Connelly with Keepsake in l992, Kip Buckner with the Gas House Gang in 1993, while Jay Hawkins and Paul Gilman were half of the 1995 Champions, Marquis. What a history! In their selection of a dozen songs they stick to beautiful barbershop singing only hamming it up a bit on 'Cecilia.'

1986 : Rural Route 4

When the Rural Route 4 won the international quartet championship in 1986, they did not exactly qualify as an overnight sensation. Organized in 1971 by four residents of Cass County MO., the quartet would not win the gold until 15 years and two personnel changes later. Along the way were dozens of contests, from the chapter to international level, and years of hard work. But there was fun too, ar the RR4 gradually built a reputation as on of the most entertaining show quartets around.

1985 : New Tradition Quartet

The New Tradition (TNT) was formed in December of 1983. The quartet is comprised of John Sherburn (tenor) formerly of the Crown City Good Time Music Company, Dan Jordan (lead) formerly of the Grand Tradition, 3-time international medalists), Bob Gray Jr (baritone) formerly of the Grand Tradition, and John Miller (bass) formerly of the 1979 International Champion quartet, Grandma's Boys. The quartet placed 7th in their first trip to the international stage in 1984, won the Far Western District Championship in the fall of 1984, captured the FWD International Prelims Champion title in March of 1985 and went on to win the coveted Gold Medal in July of 1985...19 months after forming.

1984 : Rapscallions

The Rapscallions, formed just four years earlier by four Bowling Green State University students, amazed the barbershop world when they won the 1984 international quartet championship in St. Louis. The quartet, in fact, placed in the top ten internationally each of the three years they competed: 9th in 1982, 6th in '83, and first in 1984. Tenor Dave Smotzer, lead Dave Wallace, bari Tim Frye, and bass Jeff Oxley formed the quartet in 1980 while working summer jobs in Cedar Point, Ohio to earn money to return to Bowling Green U.

1983 : Side Street Ramblers

The Ramblers won the International Gold Medal in Seattle in 1983 after several years of competing. In 1975, Stage Door Four baritone Dennis Malone's company transferred him to California although he wanted to continue singing in a Dallas quartet . That left two other members of the disbanded Stage Door Four, tenor Keith Houts, and super lead, Jim Law looking for a bass. One night in late 1975, 6'5" Earl Hagn appeared at a Vocal Majority rehearsal. With very obvious 6'3' bass vocal chords, Earl was approached by many three man quartets.

1982 : Classic Collection

The story of the 1982 Int'l Quartet Champion Classic Collection is pretty unique in many respects. It all began in Hastings Nebraska in 1968. Original baritone, and long-time barbershop enthusiast, "Papa Joe" Heltne, and his son Terry invited two aspiring singers, one a natural tenor and the other an operatic vocal major from the Hastings College choir, to join them for an evening of singing. Before it was over, Larry Wilson a lead, and Curt Hutchison, a tenor, agreed that this foursome, originally called "Three Lads and a Dad," should stay together. They worked hard and rose in the ranks of the Central States District. After a short hiatus due to Larry's four year stint in the Navy, they changed their name to "Classic Collection" , and eventually found themselves the winners of the 1975 Central States District Quartet Championship.

1981 : Chicago News

The Chicago News experienced a meteoric rise in International Barbershop annals -- from finalists to second-place medalists to the coveted International Champion gold medals in only three years! This feat was not due to luck, for these were seasoned performers in prominent quartets before forming the Chicago News. The NEWS have had the pleasure of singing hundreds of shows from coast to coast in the U.S., Canada and in Europe. They've been heard and seen on the nation's radio and T.V. stations, including the Phil Donahue Show. Along the way they have shared the stage with such famous singing groups as the HILOS, the Kingston Trio, the Four Freshmen, the King Singers and the Singers Unlimited before hanging up their pitchpipe in 1985. The idea of a possible redux grew several years ago when they came out of retirement at the request of a Florida chapter to do a show honoring the NEWS, immediately followed by another show at the famous Chicago Theater for the Chicagoland Association of Barbershop Chapters.

1980 : Boston Common

Formed, quite literally by chance, at a mutual friend's home in 1971, The Boston Common remained active through the mid 1990s, performing in 46 states and five foreign countries. On network radio and television shows (including NBC's TODAY SHOW, the CBS AM AMERICA, Irish television, BBC-TV, Germany's WDR, and Canada's CBC-TV) and a host of regional radio and television programs. In addition, the group was featured by UPI and numerous magazines and newspapers. They've appeared on some of the most renowned stages in North America such as Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, and Canada's National Arts Center. They've performed with the Boston Pops, the Portland Symphony, and on one occasion even sang as back-up for a major recording artist (Chip Taylor's album "Some of Us," Warner Brothers).

1979 : Grandma's Boys

In the summer of 1968 a high school quartet from Quincy, IL rode a Greyhound bus to Cincinnati, checked into the "Y," sat in the back row at the international contest and listened in awe as quartets like the Western Continentals, Mark IV, and Golden Staters won the top medals. They had recently named the quartet, and 11 years later, when three of the original four ran onstage in Minneapolis to claim their own gold medals, it still bore the name Grandma's Boys. Jay Giallombardo (bari), Hank Brandt (lead), John Miller (bass), and Jeff Calhoun (tenor) were singing in three different high school quartets when they first got together in the spring of 1968. Their determination to stick together was rigorously tested over the next few years. After only a few weeks of rehearsals with a new tenor, Grandma's Boys placed sixth in the next year's contest. The combination proved the right one, however; in 1978 the quartet won the silver medals, and in '79 they walked offstage with the Landino Trophy.

1978 : Bluegrass Student Union

Bluegrass Student Union is the Louisville, Kentucky barbershop quartet who won the 1978 SPEBSQSA International competition. They distinguished themselves by performing at a high level of proficiency on stage and in the recording studio throughout their 33-year career, and by continually improving their art, even after winning their gold medals. They credit much of their success to their coaches, Mary Jo Hatton Thompson, Don Clause, Ron Riegler, Gene Stickler and Ed Weber, to their chorus Director, Jim Miller, and to their long-time arrangers, Ed Waesche and Walter Latzko.

1977 : Most Happy Fellows

Seven has to be the lucky number of the Most Happy Fellows, who were crowned international quartet champions in Philadelphia in 1977, one of only 18 quartets who won the gold the first time they medalled in international competition. This edition of the quartet was seven months old; baritone Jack Lyon had only joined in January. In the three previous years, the "Haps" placed 21st, 14th, and 7th, all numbers divisible by 7. On the 7th day of the 7th month of the 77th year, they were the 7th contestant to appear in the finals - and won the gold. The plane that had brought them to Philadelphia was - what else - a 747.

1976 : Innsiders

As the 1976 SPEBSQSA International Champions, The Innsiders climaxed a storied career which included several top 10 finishes in the competition. This quartet's love of singing and their steadfast devotion to their art along with a strong work ethic and lots of talent took them to greatness. This compilation of their master works has been released under the watchful eyes of former member Brian Beck, so you are sure to hear the best that The Innsiders had to offer. Some of our favorite songs include 'Bridge Over Troubled Water,' 'Ghost Riders In The Sky,' and 'Till We Meet Again.'

1975 : Happiness Emporium

The Happiness Emporium, 1975 International quartet champions, is living proof that experience pays off. The "Emporium" members averaged 37 years of age when they won gold medals. Their collective experience, even before they came together for the first time in 1972, included participation in 24 international contests and with three district champion quartets, plus four USO tours to the Pacific.

Seven months after formation they placed 24th at the contest in Portland. The next year they were 9th, and in Indianapolis in 1975 they leaped to the gold. When Bob Spong retired from the quartet in 1983, Dick Treptow sang with them until 1987, and then Rick Andersonreplaced Dick on bari.

1974 : Regents

When the Regents won the international quartet championship at Kansas City's 1974 contest, it may have seemed to some that they had an easy road to the gold. It was their fifth international contest, and they had placed third on two previous tries, in 1972 and '73.

But collectively tenor Harry Williamson, lead Joe Mazzone, bari Ron Knickerbocker and bass Hal Kauffman had logged 44 years of experience in nearly 25 different quartets. They lived in four different (albeit small and neighboring) states. And they comprised a quartet that had evolved through four editions since it was formed in the mid-1960s.

1973 : Dealer's Choice

It was January 1972 and the Dallas Big D Chapter had volunteered to perform for the Waxahachie, TX charter night. On the way Al Kvanli, Bill Thornton, Brian Beck, ad Gary Parker decided to sing a few tunes in the back of the bus. Even over the engine roar it sounded promising. They decided to buy socks and give it a go. In August they drove straight through from Dallas to Kenosha, WI for Harmony College, a trip which proved to be the catalyst for their accelerated future development.

1972 : Golden Staters

Tenor Gary Harding, his brother Jack Harding, Baritone, Milt Christensen, lead, and the inimitable Mike Senter, bass, The Golden Staters; won the Gold medal in Atlanta in July, 1972. GS' road to the top included 4th place in Chicago in 1966, fifth in 1967, third in 1968, and a Silver Medal in St. Louis in 1969. An injury to their lead kept them out of competition in 1970, another third in 1971, then finally the gold. 25 classic barbershop songs fill this delightful cd, some of our favorites are, 'Jean,' 'Draft Dodger Rag,' 'Mary Poppins Medley,' 'Hello, Dolly,' and 'Give My Regards To Broadway.' All good stuff, and frankly, it's impossible to listen to this CD and be in a bad mood!

1971 : Gentlemen's Agreement

The Gentlemen's Agreement, 1971 International champion, is one quartet that really was and "overnight success." Almost, anyway. Organized in December 1969, it qualified for the international contest in the spring, went to Atlantic City in July and came home with fourth-place medals. The following year, in New Orleans, the Detroit-area quartet won the whole ball of wax. But why not? Two of its members (baritone Glenn Van Tassell and tenor Al Rehkop) claimed their second gold medals in New Orleans; they had been half of the Auto Towners, 1966 champions. And the other two, lead Drayton Justus and bass Bob Whitledge, were equally talented, long-time barbershoppers, even though they didn't have medals to show for it.

1970 : Oriole Four

The real beginning of the Oriole Four, 1970 International champion quartet, was in 1951 outside a Baltimore high school - although no one, of course, knew it at the time. That's when students Fred King and Jim Grant first met, discovered they had a mutual fondness for harmony and sang an impromptu duet. They joined the Society a couple of years later, found two other students who liked to harmonize and formed the Deacon Four, with Jim on lead and Fred on baritone. The quartet, with occasional personnel changes, was still getting together now and then after its members had graduated, and in 1956 the name was changed to the Oriole Four.