Barbershop? Why Not!

Did you know that barbershop singing isn’t just about stripy waistcoats and straw boaters? With National Barbershop Quartet Day happening on the 11th April, it’s time to find out more.

With its roots in African American culture, it was associated with a style sung by barbers and their customers for entertainment. Singing is actually a relatively tame pastime for barbers.

The age-old profession has been associated with performing surgery, dental procedures and blood-letting. This history gave rise to the red and white striped pole symbol still used today. It represents the bloodied rags they hung out to dry.

After a decline in the popularity of barbershop singing during The Great Depression, two people set out to change things. Rupert Hall and O.C. Cash invited a group of men to a singing competition in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

This event on April 11th in 1938 kick-started a revival in the style. It led to the development of the organised barbershop movement, which now spans the globe.

So, what is barbershop singing?

• A form of a cappella singing, which means unaccompanied by instruments

• Songs are split into four vocal parts – a melody and three harmony parts

• The four parts closely harmonise creating beautiful chords

• A barbershop chorus has multiple people singing each part

• A variety of genres can be sung in the style including pop and rock

• Sometimes you can hear magical additional notes nobody is actually singing

How can you celebrate National Barbershop Quartet Day? Here are a few ideas:

• Listen to ‘Evolution of Song’ by The Great British Barbershop Boys. This absolute gem can be seen on YouTube and could quite possibly kick-start your new-found love for barbershop.

• Book an appointment at a barbers and ask for a haircut and a song. You never know, they might oblige…

• Play some barbershop and have a good ol’ fashioned sing along.

• Join a local barbershop chorus – did you know there’s a barbershop chorus based right here in Belper called Ignite UK? Of course there is! Whatever your interest, there’s bound to be like-minded folk in Belper!

By Jessica White