Rising to a Championship

Meet ClassRing

From Rising Star Winners to International Champion Quartet and 2019 Joni Bescos Trophy Honorees

Since the day ClassRing began as an idea on a Hawaiian beach during the 2013 SA convention, the young quartet has been on the rise.

After forming a foursome via barbershop connections, friendships and a social media search, they met for a handful of rehearsals before winning the 2014 Rising Star quartet contest. Since then, they have performed on the international stage every year since a 2015 wildcard invitation, always placing as a Top 10 finalist.

Their barbershop-to-the-core talent is not surprising, considering their musical roots and family ties to some of the world’s best female and male barbershop singers. For example:

Michaela is a fourth generation barbershopper on her father’s side. (See Fun Facts) She also shares her love of the genre with her husband, Nathan, and friends Ravi and Blair, singing in the twotime world mixed champion quartet, Double Date.

Mary, a third-generation barbershopper by way of both parents, followed her mother and grandmother to the Kansas City Chorus. Her love of quartetting was a lock, especially after seeing her mother, Michelle Hunget, become a queen with 2010 international champion quartet, Zing!

Heather’s three-generation connection led her to join her first chorus at age 10. Her father is also a BHS champion with Old School. Fittingly, Heather married a barbershop singer and she and her husband can’t wait to share their hobby with their young daughter.

From a young age, Hailey sang with her family but not in the barbershop style. That changed in high school, when an enthusiatic Sweet Adeline and long-time YWIH advocate named Jen Cooke came to school weekly to teach girls about a cappella barbershop harmony. Hailey also married a barbershopper, so it’s possible she may start yet another generational barbershop legacy.

After Rising Star, ClassRing planned to disband, thinking they’d reached the pinnacle of their success. However, the love and support of the Sweet Adelines family inspired them to stick together and set higher goals. As it turned out, the decision was the easy part – the reality involved late Friday night flights after a week of school, weekends jam-packed with rehearsals and coaching, late Sunday night flights – and the occasional break for Mexican food.

“We had to make every minute count,” bass Hailey Parks remembered. “Sharing a common goal and our friendships made it easier. For any of you out there looking into a long-distance quartet, it’s achievable!”

Michaela Slamka-Johnston (tenor), Spirit of the Gulf Chorus, #9 Heather Havens (lead), Chapter-at-Large #19 Mary Duncan (baritone), Kansas City Chorus, #5 Hailey Parks (bass), Chapter-at-Large #4

SCORE: 2769 SEMIFINALS SONGS: A Wonderful Day Like Today/ Nothing Can Stop Me Now medley (C. Hine); Blame It On My Youth (B. Graham) FINALS SONGS: Seize The Day (A. Bock); Sweet Adeline (J. Giallombardo); Shamey, Shamey, Shame (M. Parks); You’ll Never Walk Alone (A. Bock)

By the time the 2018 international competition began, the quartet was inspired to sing from their hearts about a near-lifetime of transformative barbershop experiences and friendships, noted baritone Mary Duncan.

“We’ve felt so blessed to have had such strong support from our families and our fellow Sweet Adelines – we really wanted to convey that in our performances this year,” she explained.

The quartet’s finals package, most of which was arranged specifically for them, “was especially significant,” Hailey added. Their last song, You'll Never Walk Alone, was an anthem to their global barbershop family.

“Through our four years as a quartet, we’ve gone through breakups, losing family members, high school and college graduation, new jobs, three marriages, a baby, and more,” Heather explained. “We’ve walked together on this journey, along with our families and our Sweet Adelines family.”

Added Michaela: “Give your all to everything you do. You’ll have so many amazing people to share it with because with a family as big as ours, you’ll never truly be alone.”

Behind the harmony: ClassRing and family.

Fun Facts

• The quartet found their bass after posting a search on Facebook and members of Region #23 (never forget!) recommended Hailey. The #1 question ClassRing is now asked: “How does such a big bass voice come out of such a tiny body?”

• The four met officially at their first Rising Star rehearsal in St. Louis – the same city in which they won the international championship.

• Michaela’s 2019 SA championship makes her the first-ever third generation quartet champion. Growing up, she watched her grandfather, uncle, cousin, and dad become BHS international quartet champions with Power Play, and then saw her dad win the title for the second time with Crossroads.

• ClassRing has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and on live network TV at Fox and Friends.

ClassRing Shout Outs

“To our parents, siblings, grandparents, in-laws and most importantly, our significant others, Matt, Clara, Nathan, Andrew and baby Riley – thank you for allowing us long weekends away, for running to Starbucks early on contest day and for cheering loudly, even though it’s the 100th time you’ve heard us sing that song.

“A huge shout out to our dream team coaches: Jean Barford, Carole Persinger, Betty Clipman, Peggy Gram, Michelle Hunget and Mike Slamka — especially Mike who has been our mentor from the very beginning. Also, to Cindy Hansen, Clay and Becki Hine, thank you so much for taking the time to work with us as well!

“Joey Minshall, Patrick McAlexander, Clay Hine, Matt Parks and Adam Bock – you are geniuses. Thank you for your time and talent in helping us bring our musical visions to life!” Heather Havens, 28: Attended University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she studied early childhood education. She lives in Aldie, Va., with her husband and is a stay-at-home mom to their adorable daughter, Riley.

Michaela Slamka-Johnston, 26: A MU-St. Louis graduate with bachelor’s degrees in music education/music competition and theory. She lives in Ft. Myers, Fla., with husband Nathan and fur baby, Tag. She and her husband are music educators.

Mary Duncan, 21: University of Kansas (KU) student in chemistry; plans to further her studies in the KU master’s program for biomolecular engineering. She currently lives in Lawrence, Kan., with her girlfriend, Clara.

Hailey Parks, 25: University of Tennessee-Knoxville graduate with a music education degree. She and her husband Matt, both music educators, live in Knoxville with fur babies, Ruby and Ranger.