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.