Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1930s–present), is a style of a cappella close harmony, or unaccompanied vocal music, characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture. Each of the four parts has its own role: generally, the lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead. The melody is not usually sung by the tenor or baritone, except for an infrequent note or two to avoid awkward voice leading, in tags or codas, or when some appropriate embellishment can be created. One characteristic feature of barbershop harmony is the use of what is known as "snakes" and "swipes". This is when a chord is altered by a change in one or more non-melodic voices. Occasional passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.
Marietta is located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is the county's seat and largest city.
Despite their focus on comedy, FRED produces a very refined sound. Their performance in 1999 at the SPEBSQSA International Championship made them gold medalists, making them the first comedy quartet ever to win first place at the International level.
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C. Cash and Rupert I. Hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1938, the organization quickly grew, promoting barbershop harmony among men of all ages. As of 2014, just under 23,000 men in the United States and Canada were members of this organization whose focus is on a cappella music. The international headquarters was in Kenosha, Wisconsin for fifty years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. In June 2018, the society announced it would allow women to join as full members.
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
FRED's take on the "comedy quartet" was original, in that they have not relied on spoken dialog in between songs to set up the humor in the next song, as most comedy quartets do. Instead, their humor is built into their lyrics, musical arrangements, and stage presentation. Parodies are a staple of their performances, and their parodies (well-known songs set to different words) often have Barbershop "in-jokes" where they poke fun at other quartets and singers, themselves, and even the contest judges.
SPEBSQSA International competition results
FRED has achieved the following results at SPEBSQSA International competitions:
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Acoustix is a Texas-based quartet that won the 1990 International Quartet Championship of SPEBSQSA. They have all, at different times, been members of the Dallas-based Vocal Majority chorus.
Acoustix shot to fame in 1990 at their first SPEBSQSA International Contest appearance in San Francisco, just six months after the quartet formed. They stormed to victory in the third round, overcoming 139th Street Quartet and The Naturals to take the gold medal home.
Platinum is a barbershop quartet, created in 1998 and the 2000 SPEBSQSA international quartet champions. They are famous for their long posts, 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.
Gotcha! is a barbershop quartet formed in 1996 by four members of the Masters of Harmony chorus.
Gas House Gang was a barbershop quartet that won the 1993 SPEBSQSA international competition. They started singing as a group in 1987.
Four Voices is a barbershop quartet based in Tennessee. After winning the SPEBSQSA Collegiate Barbershop Quartet Championship in 1996, Four Voices went on to become international champions in 2002.
Joker's Wild is a world champion barbershop quartet formed in 1990 by Dave Kindinger and Mark Green from Columbus, Ohio, and Steve Legters and Stephen Iannacchione from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Coached by Lance Heilmann, after winning the Johnny Appleseed District of the SPEBSQSA competition that fall, they went on to the SPEBSQSA's International contests, earning 10th place, 5th, 2nd, and finally the International Championship in Pittsburgh in 1994.
The Suntones were a barbershop quartet from Miami, Florida, USA, and the 1961 SPEBSQSA international champions. At the time it won gold, the quartet featured Gene Cokeroft as tenor, Bob Franklin as lead, Harlan Wilson as baritone, and Bill Cain as bass.
The Alexandria Harmonizers are an international champion barbershop chorus based in Alexandria, Virginia. Numbering 110 men in 2013, the chorus is the performing arm of the Alexandria Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, under the direction of Joseph Cerutti, Jr. The Harmonizers have performed at the Kennedy Center Honors, Carnegie Hall, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the Supreme Court the Great Wall of China, and the White House. It is a member of several choral associations in addition to the Barbershop Harmony Society, including Chorus America and the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America.
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 were the second youngest quartet to have won the SPEBSQSA championship, as of that time. The quartet became known for continually improving their art, even after their win. They credited 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.
Revival was a barbershop quartet that won the 1998 SPEBSQSA international competition, after placing 15th in 1996 and 9th in 1997.
Yesteryear is a barbershop quartet that, coached by Darryl Flinn, Lance Heilmann, Larry Ajer, Greg Lyne, and other great names in barbershop won the 1997 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Four Harmonizers was a Barbershop quartet that won the 1943 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Town and Country Four is a Barbershop quartet that won the 1963 SPEBSQSA international competitiond with singers Leo Sisk (tenor), Larry Autenreith (lead), Jack Elder (bari), and Ralph Anderson (bass).
Grandma's Boys is the barbershop quartet that won the 1979 SPEBSQSA International Contest.
The Interstate Rivals is the Barbershop quartet that won the 1987 SPEBSQSA international competition in Hartford, Connecticut. Formed in 1982, the Rivals won the Cardinal District championship that fall. The next summer at the international contest they placed tenth, followed by sixth, third, second-place finishes before winning in 1987. They sang and travelled widely, until they disbanded in August 1991. All four members went on to repeat gold medals with Keepsake, Gas House Gang, Marquis, Platinum and Old School. The members combine for a total of 11 gold medals between the four, all winning on just one voice part each.
Second Edition is the Barbershop quartet that won the 1989 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Far Western District is a geographical district of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS).
Storm Front is the barbershop quartet that won the International Quartet Championship for 2010 at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual international convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
