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.
"(You're the Flower of My Heart,) Sweet Adeline" is a ballad best known as a barbershop standard. It was first published in 1903, with lyrics by Richard Husch Gerard to music by Harry Armstrong, from a tune he had written in 1896 at the age of 18. According to a 1928 newspaper story, the lyrics were inspired "by a girl who worked at the music counter of a New York department store." After failing to find a publisher with the initial title, "You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Rosalie", according to a story the two decided a new title was in order and were inspired by a poster advertising the farewell tour of opera singer Adelina Patti. It did not become a hit until it was performed in 1904 by the group The Haydn Quartet. The Haydn Quartet's version was #1 for 10 weeks in 1904, and the Peerless Quartet also hit #1 with their version in 1904, for 3 weeks, according to Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories.
The Rich-Tone Chorus is an all-female, barbershop chorus, located in northern Texas in the United States. The group was founded in 1968 in the city of Richardson. The current musical director is Dale Syverson who has held that position since 1976.
Second Edition is the Barbershop quartet that won the 1989 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Melodeers are an all-female, a cappella barbershop harmony chorus based in the metropolitan Chicago area.
Zing! is an American barbershop quartet, which won the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2010 in October 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. Sweet Adelines, "one of the world's largest singing organizations for women", has members over five continents who belong to more than 1200 quartets. The State Library of Kansas, representing the quartet's home state, lists Zing! among its "Musicians of Note". Zing! announced its retirement in November 2012.
Four Bettys is the barbershop quartet that won the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2008 in October 2007, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. SAI, "one of the world's largest singing organizations for women", has members over five continents who belong to more than 1200 quartets. The Illinois Arts Council has included Four Bettys in its ArtsTour roster and notes "their numerous appearances singing the National Anthem at Wrigley Field for Cubs games".
SALT is a Swedish barbershop quartet that won the Sweet Adelines International competition Quartet Championship for 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada in October 2006. Sweet Adelines. SALT's November 2008 feature performance in Anaheim, California was noted by the Vasa Order of America At the time of winning the Sweet Adelines competition, SALT included tenor Anna Öhman, lead Annika Andersson; baritone Anna-Stina Gerdin, and bass Susanna Berndts. The quartet announced its retirement on Facebook in June 2012 "after singing together for 13 years".
MAXX Factor is the barbershop quartet that won the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2011 on October 22, 2010, in Seattle, Washington. SAI, "one of the world's largest singing organizations for women", has members over five continents who belong to more than 1,200 quartets. The quartet competed with seven other a cappella groups in the first season of The Sing-Off reality television show in December 2009, before being eliminated in the third of four episodes.
Martini is the barbershop quartet that won the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2012 on October 21, 2011, in Houston, Texas. SAI, "one of the world's largest singing organizations for women", has members over five continents who belong to more than 1200 quartets.
Tim Waurick is a barbershop tenor singer, and coach for various barbershop choruses and quartets. Waurick creates learning tracks – recordings in which one part is dominant and the others are sung softly in the background – for the Barbershop Harmony Society, Sweet Adelines International, and various other quartets and choruses around the world. His learning track company is named TimTracks.
The Sweet Adelines International Competitions are the annual global championships for women's barbershop harmony a cappella singing – in quartets and choruses – for members of Sweet Adelines International (SAI) and have been held annually between September and November since 1947. They are now the largest women's singing competition in the world with over 8000 participants at the 2014 convention. There are two competitions for choruses, and two competitions for quartets. Currently, the first three of these competitions are held together and form the Sweet Adelines International Convention. Over the course of competition history, the most successful chorus has been Melodeers Chorus from Chicago with seven championship titles, and the most successful quartet singer was Connie Noble who won with four separate quartets. Lustre Quartet from Baltimore holds the record for highest quartet score, and Rönninge Show Chorus from Stockholm for highest ever chorus score.
The results of the Sweet Adelines International competition for choruses in the years 2010–2019 are as follows.
The results of the Sweet Adelines International competition for quartets in the years 2010–2019 are as follows.
The results of the Sweet Adelines International competition for choruses in the years 2000–2009 are as follows.
Harmony Classic is a women's barbershop competition for small and mid-sized choruses run by Sweet Adelines International as part of the organisation's annual convention since 2010. The results of the competition are as follows. For a full explanation of the scoring system, qualification process, awards and records, see Sweet Adelines International competition.
Toast of Tampa Show Chorus is an a cappella, female-only chorus, composed of 110 women singers of all ages. The non-profit group, a part of Sweet Adelines International, competes and performs around the world, and is considered to be among the best known barbershop music choruses in the world.
Harmony, Incorporated, is an international organization of women singers whose purpose is to empower all women through education, friendship and a cappella singing in the barbershop style. Founded by 1959 by Peggy Rigby, Charlotte Sneddon, Mary Avis Hedges, Jeanne Maino and Mary Perry in Providence, Rhode Island, the organization currently has just under 2000 members in the United States and Canada and is closely affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society.
