The summer of '75 changed my life.

    

      In my 50 years I have many fond memories. Many of them dealing with music in one way or another. I remember the 5th grade talent show where I sang “Secret Agent Man” with my 5th grade teacher Mr. Garrett playing guitar. I wore pink pants and a flowered shirt (why my mom let me wear that I’ll never know, it was the 70's). Another act I was in on the same talent show was where I played Hardy to John Evan's Laurel!

     In the spring of 1975, at age 11, I auditioned for two things involving music – The first  was the Barbershop Harmony Society. Back then is was known as S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. (The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America). My Uncle Jim (who was the same age as my brother, six years older than me) had been invited to an open house the Pittsburgh Chapter was having and he was told to bring some friends. He didn't have any friends who liked to sing but he knew I enjoyed singing so he asked me if I wanted to go. They rehearsed behind Heinz Hall in Downtown Pittsburgh at the Elks Lodge. We had to take one of those old fashioned elevators that had to be worked by an operator which was really cool.

?, Me, John Evans & Ricky Simpson

     Now mind you, I was 11 and the whole experience of being downtown after dark was kind of cool and scary and exciting all at the same time. We arrived on our floor and we entered into a bar. I can honestly say I hadn't had a lot of experience being in bars but here we were. But I never had much time to be scared or confused once I heard guys singing amazing harmony. I was very intrigued and we entered into the main room of the club where a large group of guys were in small groups singing all kinds of songs. We were greeted by the gentleman (George Carter) who invited my uncle and he welcomed us and introduced us to another guy who took us through the bar area to another room and we were asked to sing some things to see where our voices fit in. 

     Being a young boy and the fact that puberty fairy hadn't struck me yet I had a very high voice. Instantly they thought tenor! My uncle was a baritone. It was back to the large room where the guys had started to sit in a bunch of chairs and doing some singing as a group. We were given music to use and a guy who would be our buddy that night to help us follow along. Most of these guys were all a lot older than me and it was kind of strange for me since I had never done anything like this before. 

          One song they started singing was actually a medley of songs from Jesus Christ Superstar. I knew this. I had been to see this musical with my parents and my Aunt Kathy had played one particular song many times while I would sing along. They were singing this song in a new way with four part harmony without anyone playing along. It was beautiful. When they got to one part they said that the woman who would be singing the solo on the show (Mary Ann Woodra) wasn't there that night and asked if any of the tenors wanted to sing it. This was the song I sang with my Aunt, "I Don't Know How To Love Him."  Never having been a shy kid I raised my hand and said, I know it! Everyone kind of chuckled and and I heard a few gasps. The director said, you know it young man? I said yes. He asked my name and said OK, when I point to you sing it. He gave me the note I would start on and I waited for my cue, the he pointed at me

"I don't know how to love him,

What to do, how to move him.

I've been changed, yes, really changed.

In these past few days when I've seen myself

I seem like someone else................

Should I bring him down? Should I scream and shout?

Should I speak of love - let my feelings out?

I never thought I'd come to this - what's it all about?"

     I have tears in my eyes just remembering that moment,  it was exhilarating singing with all of that wonderful harmony around me. When I was done and the director cut everyone off they broke into cheers and applause. I can't even explain what that felt like. 

    

Me, Jim Belch, My Uncle Jim Kirch & Paul Kunkle

     When the chorus took a break I was surrounded with all kinds of guys introducing themselves and teaching me tags (short little snippets of songs with great endings). What fun, I actually got to ring my first chord and hear an overtone (what happens when barbershop harmony is sung correctly and everything is tuned perfectly the harmonics create another note that you can hear above the actual chord being sung). 

     If you have never had the opportunity to ring an overtone you HAVE TO and I would be glad to do it with you. Better yet plan on being in Pittsburgh this coming July when the Barbershop Harmony Society will be having their International Convention. We can ring chords all week long and see the top choruses and quartets in the world.

     Needless to say my introduction to Barbershop was incredible and made a huge impression on me. Little did I know that night would change my life. Because of barbershop I've traveled all over the country, met all kinds of wonderful people and met my wife.

*The black and white picture is a quartet my uncle and I formed several months after joining. We called ourselves the Mousketeers since Jim had ears from Disney.  Tomorrow the other major thing that I did that summer!

The leftovers are in the fridge, time to start baking for Christmas! 

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

Peanut Butter, Brown Sugar & Bacon. Need I say more?

Rugelach

 

Puff Pastry, Walnuts & Fig or Date Filling. You can use anything you like for these flaky delicious morsels.






      I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We had a lovely dinner at my brother's house and enjoyed amazing food as well as sharing stories from the past. I made my famous Golden Whipped Potatoes. I cook a 5lb bag of Yukon Gold Potatoes and combine them with a half cup of whipping cream, a half cup of 1% milk, a half pound of butter and salt to taste. They are always SO GOOD I could make a meal out of just them. The secret is not to over whip them too avoid gummy potatoes. 

     Heading to for a Thanksgiving lunch with my in-laws and maybe if it's not TOO crazy do some shopping, yeah, probably not.

Thanks for reading.
Ron