Sponsored by the SPEBSQSA Singing Buckeye Chorus, the Buckeye Invitational has become legendary. Four years ago (in 2000) they added a mixed quartet contest, which was won by MHBQA's Philharmonix, from Pennsylvania. In 2001, all five of the competing quartets were MHBQA members, with the winners being Kindred Spirits. In 2002, three of the five contestants were MHBQA members, with the winner, M.O.D. , being a former MHBQA member who had dropped membership in that year because they felt that they were no longer doing barbershop, and they preferred to be known as a jazz quartet. In 2003 and this year, the top three spots were won by MHBQA-member quartets. Harmonet reporter Jade Walker posted this report about the contest:
"Last year's champions, SOUND CELEBRATION, a MHBQA quartet from Binghamton, NY, were the regular judges this year, as well as mic testers (Jerry Schmidt, Marcia O'Neil, Sheryl Allyn, Gerry O'Neil.) They began with Sound Celebration, a strong opener with a fun bell chord passage, phrases featuring each part alone and in duets. They nailed this one. They began a rhythmic intro to There's a Sweet Spirit in This Place; the rest of the song was smooth and mellow harmony, with the bari featured on melody. She decorated the melody with lots of embellishments. The lead was featured on In the Still of the Night with the others swaying behind doing standard 50's choreography. During the shoo-wop section, they did a line dance move then paired off into couples. The bari was featured again on Summertime, showing off a higher part of her range than is used for normal bari work. The others kept the subtle pulse of the song going with oo's, occasionally breaking into words. Their final song showed off their faults instead of talents as they re-created their First Rehearsal. Over a doo-wacka accompaniment, the bari sang Oh, Lonesome Me in a yodely voice with a country twang. The bass, who had a breath problem (alcohol on it), leaned precariously as he sang See What the Boys in the Back Room Will Have; the tenor showed how rhythm-challenged he was on Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Dog Gone; the lead sang off-key on My Mother and Father Are Irish... really off-key! Then they knitted all four songs together, somehow ending up on a locked chord!
"The competition began with a non-MHBQA quartet from Pittsburgh, PA, Generation Gap (Jennifer Fogle, Bradley Fogle, Donna Knapp, Chip Fogle.) Chip began with a running sh-boop bass line while Brad began the tune of A Cappella. The other two accompanied him, occasionally singing echoes of his lyrics. The quartet is made up of a mom, her two sons, and one of her friends. To explain to their supporters what the Buckeye was, they rewrote Old MacDonald Had a Farm to Singing Buckeyes Had a Show. They sang about the comedy quartet part with a ha-ha here and a ha-ha there and about the performers on the shows at night with a gold medal here and a gold medal there. Bye Bye Blues was delivered rubato instead of its usual treatment as a rhythm song, a creative re-casting of an old favorite. Brad showed off his prestidigitory skills in Razzle Dazzle - for one verse he juggled two (!) balls with a display of consumate skill; moving to three balls, he drew applause. Then he made a small red ball disappear and reappear out of his brother's ear. For the last number, Brad started the cadence for Good Night, Sweetheart and the other three voices followed with sweet harmony over the moving bass line.
"2nd Avenue, MHBQA quartet from St. Charles, MO (Marsha Pierce, Jan Seyer, Larry Peterson, Vince Seyer), launched right into When the Red, Red Robin Goes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along, aiming straight for the audience with good energy. They have a different standing order than I've seen before: bari, lead, tenor, bass. Next was the swing tune You Make Me Feel So Young. Jan's voice soared up and down the rangy melody easily, passing the melody over to Vince for a bit. MHBQA member Ruby Rhea arranged their next number, Straighten Up and Fly Right, which had a peppy, jump-blues feel to it. The last number of their set, Java Jive, was an arrangement slightly different than what you usually hear, but I think it suits them better. They used lots of inflection to give the song a saucy attitude.
"Guys & Dolls, MHBQA quartet from Columbus, OH (Pat Morgan, Sandy Lust, Glen Spangler, Mark Stock), began with Overture. They have a good blend. The unison separating into chords on oh, what heights we'll hit was really cool. I also liked the use of voice-over music between this song and the next, which was a medley of I Can't Give You Anything But Love and Cuddle Up a Little Closer. They played with the texture of both sings; the first was light-hearted and peppy and the second had a sensuous pull to it like taffy. Sandy in fact got carried away singing from your head to your toesys, so they had to switch back to the first song to cool her off. The next song began with a run in unison, melting into It's a Blue World. This was very velvety. The men then donned sunglasses while the ladies put on bows and big campy initial pins to sing Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay Medley. Glen posed like Bowser of Sha Na Na while the song was introduced, then Sandy took over on Hound Dog, putting an attitude-filled growl in her voice. Pat adopted a squeaky tenor voice to mourn her loss in the Tears on My Pillow section of the medley, and then Mark took off with the bass run into Blue Moon. Nicely overdone choreography! When Mark went into his second run, he wore out - and they all paused for breath before going back to Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay, ending in a tenor tiddly and a bass here to stay!
"Moonglow, MHBQA quartet from Richmond, VA, was next (Jean Roberts, Jan Owen, Roger Tarpy, Vic Owen.) Neither Doug Miller (who is helping me with song titles and other info) nor I knew the name of their opening song, so we are calling it Movin' Right Along. It had a nice driving beat and in fact did keep movin' right along. Their next song, Moonglow, had a nice slow rock to it. The quartet is made up of two married couples. Next was If I Ruled the World, a lead anthem if ever I heard one. Jan allowed the others to help her sing it. I liked the way the song built continually toward the climax. Jeepers Creepers was a lively song, full of strong chords. During the song, Jan was making moves on her own husband...shocking!
"The final quartet out was MHBQA quartet Sidekicks from Lansing, MI (Jessica Thompson, Mike Hansen, Teresa Fuller, Brian Dunckel.) They began with Sittin' On Top of the World, alternating the melody between Teresa and Mike. Good ringing chords and a strong opener. Mood Indigo was like molasses with Teresa crooning over the string bass line that Brian was producing. Mike took the lead on Love Letters Straight from Your Heart and sang it tenderly. Their closing song, The Moment I Saw Your Eyes, showed Mike taken over by love with the others uncertain but supportive of his emotion. For the tag, they added the Jeepers Creepers lyrics.
"As the scores were being tabulated (regular judges' scores plus audience entertainment judges' scores), last year's champs, Sound Celebration, entertained the crowd. Any Time had a great glissando into the chorus, and the lead vamped it up during the stomp in the middle of the song. They finished with Great Come and Get It Day, which featured each part on a section of the song...a steady gallop into heaven.
"Jade Walker, for the Harmonet."