In 1950 a barbershop quartet, as yet unnamed, was to do a show in Wichita and the SPEBSQSA chapter president needed a name for the program, so he called the group "The Orphans." The name grew on them, and in 1954 they won District and Prelim contests, and then they were off to the Big Dance in Washington, DC. With the help of a Miracle Doctor, lead singer Bob Groom overcame the loss of his voice on their last set, and The Orphans, the pride of Wichita, were adopted-as International Champs! They wore the Gold with pride, singing nearly 60 shows a year all over the country. This CD is a generous, 23-song "best-of" compilation, and we can tell from the first strains of "Hello Song" that these guys are masters of the ringing chord. Some favorites: "The Bell In The Lighthouse," "On The Road To Mandalay," "Sitting On Top of the World," the classic "Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi," "Cuddle Up A Little Closer," "Somebody Stole My Gal," "The Whiffenpoof Song," "Twelfth Street Rag," "Stephen Foster Medley," "Side By Side," "Farewell Song" and "Wait 'Til The Sun Shines Nellie," live from an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. What each of these songs has in common is the rich, fresh, upbeat sound of these great champions. |
