Perennial LOL District Finalist Quartet


Note: The Ham 'n Wry is no longer together, due to the passing of two of their members in 2011. :-(
This page is left here as a tribute to this great quartet.
Thanks for the memories!

Ham 'n Wry was organized in June, 1974. Competing infrequently, they are Divisional Champions, District Medalists, International Quarter-Finalists and 7th place International Seniors Quartet Finalists. By combining quality singing, original material and an entertaining presentation, they have become one of Barbershopping's premier show quartets and have appeared coast-to-coast, Florida to Alaska. They are available for shows, banquets, weddings, conventions, meetings, exorcisms, and other gala events.

Individually they are:

TENOR - Bob Thiel, a bargain-counter tenor, owns and operates the Family Insurance Center and is the former Musical Director of the Appleton Chapter and present Music Director of the Valley Metro Chapter. Previous quartets include the Knightcaps and the Metro Gnomes, a District Finalist quarte. Bob has a degree in music and is therefore in charge of transportation, pitchpipe and the quartet Sunshine Committee. He is not quite as dumb as he looks.
(email: scotty00@charter.net)
LEAD - Mike Dandrea formerly sang with the Balladeers and Mainstays quartets and is a past Chapter President and Administrative VP. Mike, a retired sales representative for Moore Business Forms and now a bailiff, is the quartet uniform and lunch chairman. Many of the group's arrangements are built around his fine Italian voice -- primarily because he's the only one who knows the words. He is working on learning English.
BARI - Bob Haase has sung in two LOL District Champ quartets, the 1962 Badg-Aires, and the 1969 Grin 'n Tonics. He has been a director, quartet coach, bulletin editor and administrator. Bob has composed several of the group's songs and done some of the arrangements. He is a District Hall of Fame member, and is the recently retired Chief Judge of Wisconsin's Fourth Judicial District. For the quartet, he is in charge of philosophical concepts and luggage. He has a photographic memory, but is running out of film.
(email: rhaase1@new.rr.com)
BASS - Rollie Tonnell is another old timer in Barbershopping. He has been in several quartets, the most notable being the District Finalist Astro-Notes and Grand Alliance. He has directed both the Appleton and Waupaca choruses as well as Sweet Adeline groups. Arranging and quartet coaching as well as contest judging are part of his background. His quartet responsibilities include navigation, censorship and looking distinguished. He is the poster boy for persnickety/crotchety old men syndrome.
(email: tonnell@athenet.net)

So don't sit back and relax, because you'll probably miss something important. Take notes if you wish, there will be a quiz later. Meanwhile, enjoy the unique viewpoint, historical and otherwise, of HAM 'n WRY.



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