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Prairie Statesmen celebrate 40 years with 'Evening of Harmony'
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Four guys with more than 160 years of barbershop singing experience were sitting around the McCook Art Guild Tuesday night telling stories. Do you have any idea what the first thing that popped out of their mouths was? This will probably not surprise you. It was a joke.
The guys, who call themselves "Four Old Fellows," were remembering the Statesmen's first big show, which took place in 1972.
Jack Reichenbach tells the joke verbatim. "There was a big old guy who was the jokester for The Nubbins, a group from Iowa which was the featured at the first big show," Jack said. "The guy had a big lick of hair, standing straight up on the top of his head. He was beside
himself. 'You know what,' the big old guy said, 'my wife tried to help me take care of my hair problem. She said, 'Dear, why don't you try some toilet water?' So I did. But you know what? It really hurt when that lid came crashing down on my head.'"
A goofy story? You bet. But it does a good job of explaining why barbershop singers have so much fun doing what they do, which -- they're happy to say -- is singing together every chance they get throughout most of their adult lives.
There's something about singing together that soothes the soul, said the charter "quartet," which includes Lyle Moskal, 82, the lead; Merlin Brown, 73, the tenor; Paul Kitt, 84, the baritone; and Reichenbach, 84, the bass.
They are not really a quartet. It just happens that the voices of the four Charter Members of the Prairie Statesmen represent the four parts of barbershop harmony. And, by request, they got together Tuesday night to sing the praises of the upcoming "Evening of Harmony," which will be presented Friday night, March 30, at the historic Fox Theatre in McCook.
The FOF, which may stand for Four Old Fellows and may stand for something else, thinks this year's show is going to be a hoot, just as have the many other barbershop shows which the Statesmen have hosted in McCook through the years.
"We've had some of the best barbershop quartets in the world for the McCook shows," said the FOF. The charter foursome breaks into smiles of pride when they remember such quartets as the "OK 4" from Oklahoma; the "Classic Collection" from Colorado and Nebraska; "Rural Route 4" from Kansas City; "Happiness Emporium" from Minnesota; and "Storm Front" from Colorado and Nebraska.
In their view, all the quartets were outstanding. Several were International Champions. And the FOF expects this year's featured quartets, "Voices Unlimited" from Kansas City, Omaha and Lawrence, and "Habitat 4 Harmony" from Kearney to spark special memories as well.
The Prairie Statesmen will also be joined by the Kearney Area 1733 Chorus, so named because the Kearney singers are smack dab in the middle of Interstate 80, situated 1733 miles from Boston and 1733 miles from San Francisco.
The Kearney chorus name is another example of the fun-loving spirit of barbershop singers.
"This is so much fun for us and we want to share it. We're hoping to fill the Fox. We want our 2012 show to be a time of joy for the wonderful people of the Golden Plains," the FOF said.
"You know," Reichenbach said, "I've never walked out in the crowd after a show and not seen smiles on everyone's faces. That's what barbershop singing is all about ... having fun ... enjoying life."
Jack should know. He's been doing barbershop singing since his teen-age years in Lincoln, and he still loves it, maybe even more now than he did then. "We don't take ourselves too seriously," Jack confesses. "In fact, we joke that 40 percent of us can't read music, and the rest of us can't read at all."
"It's been fun growing old together," said Lyle. "We're not professional singers and we have never pretended to be. But we sure have fun and we love doing our best to entertain our friends and neighbors at the annual shows."
Merlin, the youngest of the Four Old Fellows at only 73, said the camaraderie among members has been special for him.
"I like the barbershop style of music and I like the challenge of getting together and trying to come up with the best sound we can for a variety of sweet, sentimental and heart-warming songs."
Paul, who drives down from Wauneta for the Statesmen's rehearsals, said it's been a pleasure through the years "to share time with a bunch of good men."
It was at that moment that the chairman of this year's barbershop show, Bill Graves, happened by.
"Aren't you referring in particular to the baritones?" Paul smiled.
Turns out, there are only two baritones in the chorus which is getting ready for the 2012 barbershop harmony show at the Fox: Paul Kitt ... and Bill Graves."
Having fun? You bet. And the now gray-haired, softer-singing men of the Prairie Statesmen Chorus want you to share their joy when they present the 2012 "Evening of Harmony" at the historic Fox Theatre.
Tickets, costing $12 in advance, are on sale at Hershberger Music Co. and Farrell's Drug, or from any member of the Prairie Statesmen Chorus.
The Four Old Fellows, or whatever else you choose to call them, will be there to greet you, just as they have the annual show crowds for more than 40 years. Shake their hands. They are special guys. In a time span when many of the world's people were gripped by trouble and woe, these guys were having fun, singing songs and telling jokes.
Not a bad gig if you can get it, and get it they have. So can you if you're a man and like to sing. Come on down to the Art Guild on any Tuesday night at 7:30. The Prairie Statesmen will welcome you with open arms.
They're having fun and they hope it continues as long as they live.