The Lakelanders Men’s chorus originally planned to perform at Goodhue Living on February 18th but cancelled due to cold weather. Their invitation to sing for Robert Seeley’s Dare to Dream event was rescheduled for April 16th. Robert and his wife, Martha, had front row seats as the barbershop quartet entertained about 25 residents and guests.
Barbershop style music originated in the 1940s and is based on music with a close, four-part harmony sung completely acappella. Longing to restore the popularity of familiar songs and this style of singing led Owen Clifton Cash to create the Barbershop Harmony Society in Tulsa, OK. The organization is now headquartered in Nashville, TN with 700 chapters across the United States and Canada. In 2023 they claimed 14,000 members and over 850 registered, and around 1,000 unregistered quartets.
The Lakelanders group belongs to the society and meets every Monday at 7 PM in Faribault. The four members that appeared at Goodhue Living were Rick, a retired minister from Pine Island; Bill, who worked in the tool business and lived in 5 different states before landing and singing in Minnesota the past 21 years; Keith, a construction worker and farmer from the Kenyon area; and Dave, another retired minister from Zumbrota.
Upon joining the society, every member receives a booklet containing a collection of 12 songs considered standard repertoire for every barbershopper. The purpose of this collection is to always have something ready to sing for impromptu events or when meeting other members.
The quad of gentlemen drew from the familiar tunes including "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", "My Wild Irish Rose", “Melancholy Baby” and others. Having sung in a Rochester chorus for over 50 years, Robert was observed mouthing the words along with the group who later brought him up to help close the show and take photographs together.
Read more about Robert Seeley and his Dare to Dream event in the March issue of the Messenger at www.goodhuemn.com. For more information or to join the Lakelanders Men’s Chorus, call Bill Mark at 507-339-1615.
