[Dixielandjazz] Re:wasThe Pineapple Chord/now Barbershop Quartets

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/6/03 2:15:46 PM Pacific Standard Time, bbiffle at swcp.com 
writes:

> Bill Biffle
> 28 year member of the
> Society For The Preservation and Encouragement Of Barber Shop Quartet
> Singing In America, Inc.  (SPEBSQSA)
> 
> Trumpet and Leader
> The Duke City Jazz Band
> 
> 
Now see here Bill, here is a great example of out of sight out of mind!

How long has it been since I heard a Barbershop Quartet sing in 
California????

Humm maybe twenty years or better, now there is an art form that has less 
media exposure than Dixieland Jazz currently does, at least according to the 
reports on this list from most of the country.

Seems to me an old promotion guy that they certainly would fit nicely in any 
Traditional Jazz Society program or festival, nice wholesome art form and 
never too loud,

Excellent showcase of the human voice as an instrument, and a Hell of a lot 
less boring than Opera.

I grew up listening to Southern Gospel quartets like J.D. Sumner and the 
Stamps, The Blackwood Brothers, The Speer Family, The Statesmen, Oak Ridge Boys 
and many others.

Used to have a regular circuit they toured and sold out almost every show, 
great entertainment and also a wonderful art form that made a lot of people very 
happy, saints and sinners alike.

They might have smaller audiences these days, but if they were invited to 
participate in many of the jazz society festivals they could bring some new folks 
to the dwindling audiences and help preserve their art form as well.

And I don't mean to leave out the Sweet Adelines either, invite them too, the 
more the merrier, with all that diversification everybody can and will have a 
good time.

Maybe we could all even get along   :)   for a few days anyway.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins