A Doo-Wop Medley

The spirit of singing thrives among the members of this 50-year-old ensemble

Story and photos by Myasia Butler

Their doo-wop’s are reminiscent of the smooth melodic sounds of the quartets seen in front of small-townbarbershops in the late '50s. They may have been on curbs belting out tunes but this group of barbershoppers in Plattsburgh is hitting stages and making a huge impact after 50 years.

In 1957, founder James Varno returned from active duty in the Korean War and wanted to start a barbershop group. Varno had sung with a few barbershop singers in the service, so he recruited three choir members Walt Rivers, Jack Provost, and Lou Bernard, and formed a barbershop quartet called the "Northmen".

Bernard suggested they look into forming a local chapter of the Society for the preservation and encouragement of Barbershop quartet singing in America (SPEBSQSA).  "I wrote the society and they sent me a package telling me how to get started so I can get the chapter in Plattsburgh opened," Lou Bernard says.In 1959 they were granted charter status.

So one may want to know exactly what is barbershop music? Barbershop harmony is a style of unaccompanied singing with three voices harmonizing to the melody, with the tenor harmonizing above the lead.

The Cumberland Bay barbershop chorus is compromised of 30 active members, most of them in their late-50’s with the oldest member being 83. They have had high school and college students join but they eventually leave the group for college. The member’s occupations range from doctors to school teachers but one thing they all have in common is their love for music. "They come from all different walks of life. When they come in here though everyone is the same. They are all willing to help each other," says Dianne Tortorelli, the chorus director of six years.

Being the only female in the groups doesn’t intimidate Tortorelli. She has earned her respect and credibility as a reliable force to help make the chorus reach its potential and then some.  "I feel powerful. The fellas are very respectful. We all get along fine. At the beginning I had to prove myself, but at this stage in the game I have gained my respect," Tortorelli says, as she lets out slight chuckles.

Tortorelli opens up the practice by making the guys do some breathing exercises. They take deep breaths and then let the air out in a thin hiss, keeping their arms up as they exhale. The exercises help open up the diaphragm so they can harmonize effectively. "When you sing from your chest you can’t sustain notes.  So we do breathing exercising so they can breathe from their diaphragm. It helps them sustain the notes better," Tortorelli says.

"It’s a lot of work and direction and picking up the details of what’s going on," says David Hurd, a tenor in the chorus. "Dianne has a great sense of humor but there are times where she is like ok "fellas" we have to bare down and do some work," After attending a show in 1976, Hurd joined the group after it made quite an impression on him. He was unable to fully join the group because he had children to raise, but when his progeny went off to college in the late-1990s, Hurd became a full-time member.

"When I first joined they did a lot of 50’s and 60’s doo-wops. It was more established now I think that we have changed in the sense that our music and the members as a whole are evolving"

The  group is filled with gentlemen who have permanent smiles across their faces. They love what they do and it is evident in the dedication they put forth at practice and in their demeanor. "When I first came I was thrown off by that because everyone was smiling and laughing. I thought I had walked into a group of car salesmen, used car salesmen. But that’s what happens here it is an upbeat fun type of thing to do," says Hurd.  

"Basically, if you can sing Happy Birthday, you’ve got it"

Chapter President Mike Deeb, whose father John Deeb was one of the charter members of the ensemble, says the main goal of the chorus is preserve this unique barbershop harmony. The group meets every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at North Country Alliance Church. The group is always looking for new members and is currently looking into a competition against some of the college level a cappella groups. They are still working out the details of the competition.

Deeb who has been a member for 22 years thinks when he first joined the group was established. "When I first joined, they did alot of 50's and 60's doo-wops. It was more established now i think that we have changed in the sense that our music (way we sing) and the members as a whole are evolving," Deeb says.  

Some criteria for new members include past singing experience, the ability to read music, an audition and coming to rehearsals. "Basically, if you can sing Happy Birthday, you've got it," Tortorelli says.

The chorus doesn’t only belt out tunes but they also give back to the community. The group participates in several community service projects ranging from free holiday concerts to Cleaning the highway to providing entertainment for a concert for workers of the Perkins restaurant that burned to the ground last December.

The Barbershoppers has an upcoming show December 6, at St Peters church at 2 p.m.

A theme for the show has not yet been determined but it is free of charge. 

What is your favorite genre of music?