Why I Love Barbershop

Our longtime treasurer, Charlie Kettell, wrote the following about why membership in the Nor’easters Chorus has been important to him over the years.

“I love singing Acapella Barbershop style music! I sing for personal enjoyment, entertainment for others, for the comfort of others, and for the socialization of singing in a chorus!

This art form has allowed me to sing in many venues, among them the Franco Center in Lewiston at their Battle of the Blends concerts, at Portland’s first “First Night” (New Year’s Eve) gathering in Monument

Square just before midnight, and at the Hatch Shell in Boston on the occasion of the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 50th anniversary with barbershoppers from around New England.

Four examples come to mind that represent my love of this hobby:

Singing “Lion Sleeps Tonight” at the Franco Center Battle of the Blends in the fall of 2022. The sellout audience really loved it!

Singing to a young child at kids’ haircut Saturday in Bath: One boy was sitting in a chair waiting for his turn for a haircut. Our chapter quartet sang a song to the boy. At the end of the song, he took his lollipop out of his mouth, carefully put it on the floor, stood up and applauded…… then reached down, picked the lollipop back up, stuck it back in his mouth and sat down.

As part of another chapter quartet, we had just finished rehearsing, and went to Café Crème in Bath for coffee. While sitting down, we notice two young ladies at the next table; one of them was visibly upset and crying. We stood up and sang a couple of songs to her. After, she said “that was the nicest thing ANYONE has ever done for me!”

Other joys are singing in bars or restaurants unannounced such as during Bath Heritage days, or after rehearsals, Singing Valentines, Singing Santas at Nursing homes and skilled facilities. Last year one of our most appreciative groups was from the Memory wing of a local nursing home/skilled facility. They knew ALL the words and were singing along with us!

This is FUN!”