A barbershop quartet is a group of four singers who sing music in the barbershop style, characterized by four-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment, or a cappella. The four voices are: the lead, the vocal part which typically carries the melody; a bass, the part which provides the bass line to the melody; a tenor, the part which harmonizes above the lead; and a baritone, the part that frequently completes the chord. The baritone normally sings just below the lead singer, sometimes just above as the harmony requires. Barbershop music is typified by close harmony— the upper three voices generally remain within one octave of each other.
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.
Acoustix is a Dallas, 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.
Gas House Gang was a barbershop quartet that won the 1993 SPEBSQSA International Quartet Competition. They started singing as a group in 1987 in St. Louis Missouri. 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.
FRED is a comic barbershop quartet formed in 1990 by members of the Marietta Big Chicken Chorus.
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.
Creole Cutie is a song written for barbershop quartet, originally performed in 1950. It was co-written by Glenn Sudduth and Bill 'Bus' Busby. Its copyright is held by SPEBSQSA, as the authors donated the song.
Bluegrass Student Union is the Louisville, Kentucky barbershop quartet that 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.
Yesteryear is a barbershop quartet that – coached by Darryl Flinn, Lance Heilmann, Larry Ajer, Greg Lyne, and other big names in barbershop – won the 1997 SPEBSQSA international competition.
Schmitt Brothers was a Barbershop quartet from Two Rivers, Wisconsin that won the 1951 SPEBSQSA international competition. The quartet consisted of four brothers: Joe, Paul, Francis and Jim Schmitt. They participated in 110 performances during their championship year, including appearances on the Ed Sullivan and Arthur Godfrey television programs.
The Gay Notes is a Barbershop quartet that won the 1958 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Four Pitchikers is a Barbershop quartet from Missouri that won the 1959 SPEBSQSA international competition in Chicago.
The Evans Quartet is a barbershop quartet that won the 1960 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Gala Lads is a barbershop quartet that won the 1962 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Sidewinders is a Barbershop quartet that won the 1964 SPEBSQSA international competition.
The Auto Towners is a Barbershop quartet that won the 1966 SPEBSQSA international competition.
Oriole Four is a barbershop quartet that won the 1970 SPEBSQSA international competition.
Grandma's Boys is the barbershop quartet that won the 1979 SPEBSQSA International Contest.
The Virginians is a barbershop chorus located in Richmond, Virginia. Mike Wallen is currently its musical director, and has been serving in this capacity since 1998. It recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is one of the oldest continuous singing groups in the Greater Richmond Area. Originally chartered in 1952 as the Tobaccoland Chorus, the chapter was renamed to the Virginians in 1990.
