Barbershop Harmony Society

'Barbershop' is a four-part, unaccompanied, close-harmony style of singing with 3 voice parts harmonizing to the melody sung by the 'lead'. The other voice parts are tenor, bass and baritone.

ORIGIN

As American as Old Glory, Mom and apple pie, its roots go back to the 1840s, in homes, church socials, on street corners and in barber shops.

But it wasn't until the near-accidental founding of our Society* in 1938 that the barbershop style of singing was actively promoted.

In that year, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one man, Owen C. Cash, set out to preserve the barbershop sound. He invited some friends to an evening of quartet singing on the roof garden of the Tulsa Club.

Now, some 60 years later, that event is still being celebrated by 38,000 singers in 850 chapters in the United States and Canada. Another 3,000 barbershoppers are members of affiliate organizations in Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Holland, South Africa, Sweden, Germany -and Russia.

THE SAVANNAH CHAPTER

Our local chapter was chartered in 1969 with 30 members. Five of those are still active.

Currently there are 50 members, ranging in age from 30 to almost 80, and their singing experience ranges from just a few months to over 44 years.

They come from all walks of life, and are brought together by the fun, the relaxation and the love of singing in the barbershop style.

Our chapter chorus, THE 13TH COLONY SOUND, and our 3 great quartets, The RIVER STREET RAMBLES, FULLY INVESTED and SAVANNAH SOUND contribute many man-hours singing for churches, schools, service clubs, hospitals and retirement homes. We actively support community service projects and local charities.

Together with the other 800-odd chapters across the nation, we support Harmony Foundation, the charitable arm of the Society. Locally, the chapter supports the Savannah Speech and Hearing Center. 

Visit the Society Web Page to learn more about the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Visit the Dixie District Web Page to learn more about our district.

Check out  Adam Porter's  list of barbershoppers on the Web.

Also check out the WEBRING listing of barbershoppers.

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