S O U N D I N G S

All their recipients were equally excited, Steve reports--and not only stunned by their shirts. However, there were obstacles to overcome. At one of their stops-the wife of Steve's boss-the lady kept saying, "Are you sure it was Matt that did this??" Steve didn't say who else might have sent it-or whether she repeated this phrase in tempo with the song.

In another venue the blue brothers delivered, then re-delivered, a valentine to a 16-year old girl-one sent either by her 16-year old boyfriend or his mother (whose credit card got used). But the girl wasn't at home! Not to worry. Our intrepid quartet tracked her down at a girl friend's house where she'd spent the night. Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night, etc. etc.

Mindy and the Kowalski Twins.
Remember Mindy? Billy K. Foster has another Mindy story. When last reported here, mini-skirted Mindy, the Beautiful Bartender, was being serenaded in the snow outside Club Vinyl, while galLAWNT Bobby K. Young warmed her with his coat. Valentine's Day 2000.

Valentine 2001: same miserable weather, same guy, same girl with same occupation, though at a different, seedier joint where the girls call themselves "Sheena" and "Tandalayo," and the guys hang the rest of the time at the Harley shop next door. Life can be tough for single moms like Mindy.

This time, determined suitor actually went to Las Vegas to buy his chick her favorite chocolates-and Billy K. almost forgot to deliver them!

Mindy, sweetheart, if you're listening: this guy has "commitment" written all over him. And the Kowalski Twins will sing at your wedding. Think about it.

Small World.
Jack Gibbs reports that his outfit: Jack, Bill Lahti, Claude Barnes and George Daniels delivered five Harmonious Valentines in all, four at businesses and one at a residence. In every case, Jack says, there were tears of joy and love.

Folks at the Allenwood Advertising Agency asked if they could videotape the performance, so these four studs adjusted their Grecian V and gave the OK (Jack, did you ask about copyright, by any chance?). Look for them in the next hair products commercial. Uh...maybe not George.

Like the other Valentine Singers, they experienced a slow commute because of the snow conditions-two hours from Broomfield to Valentine HQ in Cherry Creek. But they finally got rolling and sang from 10 to 3.

The coinkidink of the day was Jack's discovery-by spotting a photo in the family residence they went to-that they were singing to the parents of one of his co-workers! The co-worker had nothing to do with the Valentine, either, because Dad sent it to Mom-they'd heard about the Singing Valentine program at one of our shows. Jack's summary: it was great fun and they're READY TO GO AGAIN.

"Harmony at the Paramount" will be presented Saturday, April 21, at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 1631 Glenarm Place, Denver. Featured will be the Sound of the Rockies chorus and quartets. Guest stars will be the 2000 International Gold Medalist Quartet, Platinum. Denver's JazzKatz also featured. Matinee seats are general admission at $15 (seniors 55+ and children 12 and under, $10). Evening tickets are: $35 GOLD VIP, $20 Orchestra Front and Loge, $15 for Orchestra Rear and Balcony. Admission includes parking. Credit cards accepted, checks to "Denver Mile High Chapter." Rick Crandell of KEZW, mc.

Luck of the Draw.
Terry Dodd reports a balcony scene worthy of Shakespeare, but with quadriphonic sound. In this case, Juliet was sick abed with a bad cold, but sat up on an indoor balcony while Terry's crew (also decimated by viruses) sang from the richly resonant room below. Juliet's sniffles were mingled with tears.

Terry, of course, is SOR's "host" for chorus rehearsals at the University Church of the Angelic Acoustics, great acoustics being a cherished tradition-along with a cappella harmony-in the Church of Christ. He loved the sound in the balcony room.

But here's The Rest of the Story, which Terry didn't know: Juliet grew up in Nashville-as did he-in the Church of Christ (as did he!). So there were many a cappella heartstrings plucked, as well as romantic ones. Even smaller world.

Surely it wasn't that bad.
And don't call me Shirley. Fred Wiese and the 24 Karat boys played to audiences large and small on St. V's Day. Up to 50 or 60 at one locale, where they delivered the floral/musical/edible treat to the wife of SOR member Randy Nelson's business partner. Fred claims all 50 or 60 onlookers who gathered 'round come to every Mile Hi show!

The Golden Boys delivered another to a Lakewood hairdresser who had no clue it was coming. They had so many curled 'n coiffed ladies in tears they were forced to ask if it was really that bad. Naaaah.

An annual delivery for 24K is the Singing Valentine for Gene Dilbeck, head of the Colorado Convention Bureau from his wife Lynette. Lucky stiff happens to have a birthday on February 14th, too, so Lynette arranged for both a Happy Birthday and a Loving Valentine. SOR will give Gene a gigantic gift in 2007, when the Society's annual convention comes to town.

Guys can cry, too.
Fred Mason's pickup combo (with Davidson, Weaver and Dickin) stayed perfectly symmetrical, with Valentines for three men, three women. But it wasn't easy. Arriving at Cherry Creek headquarters about 9:15, they crept through traffic for an hour before covering the first mile-and that's how they spent the morning...creeping.

Hey-how's this for another sign of global telecommunications. One gal's husband was away on a business trip, but when the quartet arrived, she called him on his cell phone so he could listen to her Valentine serenade. The guys also sang for the husband of a mom-and-pop drugstore duo. She sent the Valentine, but before the performance was over, they both sat on a bench and cried. Plenty of Kleenex handy.

Four on the floor.
Dennis Cook's brigade called themselves Four for Fun. Aka Four 4 Fun, aka 4 for Fun, aka 4 4 Fun?? First out, they sang for an 86-year old mom whose daughter sent the Valentine. Mom gamely fought back the tears, but when her face had turned the color of a sailor's favorite sunset, she let loose and cried through the whole thing.

These guys won the medal for heroic performances when-stopping at The Outback for lunch-they asked management if they could sing. They actually were heard over the usual din of the place and a "big crowd" listened. Dennis said one gal, evidently a nurse who changed out of her scrub greens in the restroom, asked them to sing for her husband and, according to Dennis, she was visibly "twitterpated" at the performance. Hope he was suitably twitur, tweet, whatever too.

Dennis was proudest of the RINGING quality of the chords from the guys who included Randy Rensi, Ben Miller and Dale Vaughn. Dennis remarked on Ben's uncanny photographic memory for music: look at a page, know a page! Next year, could you maybe call yourselves The Ringmasters, or something I could remember how to spell? Don't say "twitterpated," either.

Follow your leader?
Mark Zenk sang with a bunch of leftovers name of Drown, Jim Clark, and Ryan Wilson. Their sterling performance began by delivering a Singing Valentine to the wrong party. After introducing themselves and doing their musically soulful presentation, fearless leader Darin told the lady who her Valentine was. Never heard of him. Ah, well. But they did sing 10 times to the right people. Way to go.

Some people are really nice.
Herb Phelps reported on the outing of Messrs. Graesser, Jackson and Lippert. This bunch had a professional, Grey Jackson, at the wheel of a monster 4X4 Blazer-no inclement weather would be a factor here! High point for Herb was the Valentine package sent to an 80-year old widow by a young couple next door. That's nice. Did they sing a freebie for good neighbors, hmmm?

They also serenaded a secretary at Tom Graesser's Kent School. She had decided that a Singing Valentine was too expensive to send hubby, but he surprised her (and presumably their budget) by sending one to her. In a case like this, it may be hard to tell what the tears are for. But we assume the best. Maybe she bought him dinner.

Love and the cubicle.
Roger Olson and Co. did both their Valentines at the Tech Center, first making Mike Nogrady's wife cry (shame on ya) and then balladeering Jim Albrecht's spouse. This second event brought the heads of numerous cube-mates popping up over the walls. Rog said they sang in the p.m. after the snow "meltdown" was under way. Barry Krebs, Ralph Nafziger and Jim Albrecht made up the group.

Smooth moves.
Jim Jensen sends congratulations to the staff at Valentine Central, who sent him with Brent Page, Mark Palmer and Adam Nafziger to six locations so clustered they "could almost walk from one to the other." At one location, a restaurant in the Swedish Hospital neighborhood, a waiter asked how to join the chorus. A singing waiter maybe, Jim?

Several doctors on the Swedish staff sent Singing Valentines to nurses, and 19 or 20 others listened. Jim's parting comment: we should have stuff to pass out. Hang on-Jason Mork and Don Rosenkranz are on it!

Who's Sentimental?
Luis Tavel reports that Executive Order started with "Sweet and Lovely" at a nursing home and finished with a 30-minute show including sing-along. Guys at Graebel Van Lines and Great West Life were also moved.

PLEASE NOTE: The Mile Hi Belles MARCH MEETING NIGHT CHANGE from the third to the second Thursday of the month. The March meeting will be held the 8th of March. At the meeting, Glenda Hartwig will be conducting a class to show us how to make metal angel pins. The cost is $3 each. Please let Carol Welch know how many pins you want to make so that she can order the correct number and have them available that night.

Belles membership dues are $5.00 annually and are now being accepted for the year 2001. This money is used to cover general operating expenses and donations to Heartspring. Please make out your checks to Mile Hi Belles and mail to Helen Swanson, 3121 Mountain Shadows Drive, Denver, CO 80215.

Reminder: If your address or phone number has changed in the past year, please let Helen Swanson know so that she can keep the roster current. If you wish to be notified of auxiliary business by e?mail, please include this information as well. To new members: please also include the day and month of your birthday and anniversary.

If you have ANY questions, please call Carol Welch, president or Helen Swanson, Membership VP.

In memory of Lou Perry who died recently in Tucson, gifts for the Lou Perry Endowment Fund may be sent to the Harmony Foundation, 6315 Harmony Lane, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53143-5199. Sound of the Rockies extends its sympathy to family members.

Sure and we have enough saints to go around, don't y'know. We can just move from one saint to another as the months go by, we can. To honor (we surely hope) the good St. Pahtrick, this, now, publication ventured to sponsor a First Annual Barbershop Limerick Event just, y'know, t'see if there were any lurkin' poets out there-at least of the nonsense variety. And sure enough, though participation was an inch wide and a mile deep, meanin' there were only a scant handful of would-be poets but some o' them couldn't stop writin' even at the possible risk of losin' their jobs. So, as space be permittin', here are some of the cream, as it were.

Our elegant president, Mr. Robert Hartwig, early on sent in a fancy number that met all the requirements of limerickin' together with an Irish and barbershop theme, and even indulged in some "internal rhymin'," sort of like your slick barbershop outfits showin' off their II-7 chords:

There was a rich bari named O'Kerry
Who found a Sweet Ad to marry-
Much younger than he,
Most people could see
She just wanted O'Kerry to bury.

Those who pronounce the final word "burry" are exempted from commentin' on this rhyme.

Now then, Mr. James M. Jensen was one of your prolific poets-and still in business, reportedly, at his day job. An early composition was as follows:

There once was a young tenor named Ray
Whose skills at singing were nil, they say
But he said "Faith and begorrah,
My wife's name is Laura-
And I'll trill sweetly on St. Paddy's day."

Sensing a couple o' speed bumps in this effort,
Mr. James persevered and sent in seven more, including:

That famed Irish tenor named O'Grady
Teamed up with our own Mike Nogrady.
They warbled in tune,
On a warm night in June,
But alas, they soon became afraidy.

So, with the sun sinking slowly in his vest, we leave Mr. J. to find no less than eight limericks from one Roger Olson (surely there must have been an apostrophe after the O in this name, but how would y' say it?).

Joe Connelly has medals of gold;
No less than three, so I'm told.
With his Platinum Quartet
I'm willing to bet
That all of our show tickets are sold!

He was just warmin' up, at that. Then came:

A tow-headed lad, Colin Drown,
Grew up in "SoR town."
His dad led the way
On that glorious day
We won the International crown.

And we surely must honorably mention his:

O'Halloran's a mighty fine lead,
A scholar bedecked in tweed.
When you need the "spots,"
He'll give all he gots
To members and guests in need.

Helen O'Swanson kept the ladies in the running with several of her own composition. This first is not meant to imply-much less state flat-out-that there was that much liquid consumption aboard the Contest Express bus:

Rapid City chorus bell-ringers
Rang out chords that continue to linger.
But nature did call,
The men lined the hall-
And the women guffawed at the singers.

'Tain't Irish, but the theme is universal!

With unwelcome (sick) time on his hands, Russ MacCachran contributed consecutive stanzas to the collection:

There once was a singer named Dick
Who thought he sounded quite slick.
But his placement was lazy,
His vowels were too hazy--
And he just made his audience sick.

But being a smart Irish lad,
Dick refused to be sad.
He hired a great coach
Who was above reproach-
And now sings with the angels, by gad!

Then, from Fred Wiese-he of the fabled hair piece-came a tribute to SOR's leading Irish contingent (with a little help from Limerick Consulting, Ltd.):

Meet Pete, Pete and Dan Donohue,
All high in the Mile High Who's Who:
All stars in our chorus,
Their voices don't bore us-
They're Irish, I'm not, so Boo Hoo.

Myself being of the Finnish persuasion--those who are known in the Upper Peninsula as Copper Country Irishmen-and not receivin' a single entry for St. Urho's Day (March 16), Helen Swanson (of the Swedish persuasion) was kind enough to send in this:

In Finn Country columns of smoke
Arise from saunas fired and stoked.
They steam and cavort,
Splash cold water and snort-
These rugged, good-natured Finn folk.

But not without declaring her own or Bob's roots:

There was a young Swede from Dulut'
Who ate lutefisk, lefsa and groot.
The girls were awhirl
As they schottisched and twirled
With that handsome young Swedish galoot.