Harmony UK Podcast

The story of those passionate individuals who brought the love of Barbershop Harmony Singing to the UK, and founded the first singing groups., and the first Barbershop organisation.

Bob Walker is a founder member and former chairman of the British Association of Barbershop Singers. He played a major role in establishing the Guild of Judges. Bob sang lead in The Ringleaders, BABS first gold-medal-winning quartet and he's a former director of the Crawley Chordsmen, the first chorus outside of the US and Canada. In this podcast Bob describes his introduction to Barbershop in the US and how it began to take off in the UK more than 50 years ago.

In this edition as Barbershop moves online we look forward to a virtual Convention from LABBS, and online Harmony College from BABS. And three singers offer a perspective on the extraordinary worldwide success of The Collective virtual choir.

A compilation of archive features and interviews for the lockdown including Zac Booles on Convention packages, David Wright on arranging and Barbershop History, and members of Spinnaker chorus recalling their brush with Reality TV.

On the weekend when BABS members should have been gathering for their annual convention we revisit past conventions for interviews with Lemon Squeezy and Crossroads Quartets, and Sally McLean, MD of The White Rosettes Chorus.

Barbershop is thriving behind closed doors. In this edition we talk to Hilary Pinnock about Sweet Adelines Region 31 Virtual Convention. We hear from Tagline Quartet about the forthcoming BABSLive Convention show on YouTube,. We speak to Nancy Philbin about LABBS future plans, and we get the stories behind two awesome fundraising online videos from Avon Harmony and Cottontown Chorus.

As we battle on through lockdown here are some reminders of better times, including the arrival of Barbershop in Hull, a memorable weekend with Vocal Spectrum at BABS Harmony College, and a winning performance from Viva Acappella chorus.

Another Coronavirus lockdown diversion with archive recordings of Reckless Quartet getting emotional under glass, Vocal Dimension preparing for Convention in Las Vegas, and a visit to Bluewater for the LABBS Beacon of Harmony.

Looking back to those carefree days before the Coronavirus lockdown, and featuring archive contributions from Round Midnight Quartet, Heather Lane and the LABBS Bo-rap mass sing, plus Cheshire Chord, Cottontown and Heartbeat Choruses

A diversion intended for listening in lockdown. The second of our weekly trawls through the archives finds us rummaging in the file marked "humour" with contributions from Pastor Hannes Kör, Second City Sound and Footlights Quartet.