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Countdown to 75 years: 1980–1989
EST.1945
Countdown to 75 years
1980-1989: BIG HAIR, BIG CHORDS, BIG CHANGES
The name of our game is barbershop harmony — perhaps a little “hokey” sounding to the woman of the 80s. Nevertheless, it is our special kind of harmony, that “lock and ring,” that hooked each of us into this organization — Bev Miller, International President, 1987-1989
The stories in this article are gleaned from past issues of The Pitch Pipe magazine. All issues can be found in the archives at Sweet Adelines International Headquarters in Tulsa, Okla.
Growth: As the 1980s began, we had chapters in the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden. In the early 80s, we gained prospective chapters in Venezuela, Germany (West Germany, at that time), and Grand Cayman in the British West Indies. In 1984, Yarra Valley Chapter of Melbourne became our first chartered Australian chapter, followed shortly by Perth Harmony Chapter. At the 1985 convention, the New Zealand flag was raised, and a Scottsdale “mini-chorus” sang a song in Māori in honor of the newly-chartered Wairoa Chapter and New Zealand prospective chapters. (For more on New Zealand Sweet Adelines, see our profile of 2019 Ann Gooch Award winner Patti Cooke on page 32.) In 1988, we gained the Rheinland-Pfalz Chapter of West Germany and in 1989, the Porvoo Chapter from Finland. In 1982, we had 33,703 members in 759 chapters, and in 1989, we had 29,389 members in 672 chapters.
Sharing, Caring: While in Minsk, Russia, Grand Rapids Chorus performed for children whose families had been displaced by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster. In the late 80s, Santa Fe Trail Chorus participated in a “Concert of Giving” to benefit Kansas City area AIDS patients. “Although we perform at many charity events, this concert was a particularly moving experience,” reported Santa Fe Trail Vice President Beryl Silberg. In 1989, Sacramento Valley Chorus exchanged songs with the 90-woman Dzintar Chorus, an a cappella ensemble visiting from Riga, Latvia (USSR, at the time). “The most touching moment occurred when [Dzintar Chorus] sang the Latvian national anthem, rarely performed publicly since the country was taken over by the USSR,” reported a Sacramento Valley member in The Pitch Pipe. In 1989, Pat Butler Elementary School, which is still in operation in Paso Robles, California (USA), was built and named after Cuesta Belles Chorus Director Pat Butler in honor of her years as an educator. The school opened the following year.
Computers: In 1983, Sweet Adelines used a bequest from member Jane Gould of 264 ½ shares of AT&T stock and cash to offset the cost of installing the first computer system — the Wang VS45 — at the headquarters building. A July 1986 article in The Pitch Pipe reported the result of a member survey on computer use: “A few people mentioned owning modems and communications software and commented on the future possibility of a telecommunicating network for Sweet Adelines. This network could provide the exchange of ideas and information across the whole organization without using the mail.” The survey revealed that the most popular computers with Sweet Adelines were the Apple IIe and “the MacIntosh,” along with IBM-PC, Compaq, and Kaypro II.
Sweet Adelines hold flags representing countries with chartered chapters. Iowa City Chorus members pose at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Sharon Green (Left), director of accounting and systems administrator, and Janell Mason, extension and systems coordinator, work with the cutting-edge dot matrix printer. Inset: The Wang VS45, Sweet Adelines Headquarters' first computer.
Celebrities: The 1983 Queens of Harmony, Melo-Edge, appeared on The Phil Donahue Show in the early 1980s. Entertainer Toni Tennille hosted a 60-minute presentation featuring the 1981 International Quartet Competition, which aired on Public Broadcast Service (PBS) affiliates across the United States in 1982. In 1987, The Nylons (a U.S. a cappella pop group) performed at a benefit to help North Metro Chorus travel to international convention in Hawaii. Sundance quartet from L.A. South Towns Chorus performed in the world premiere of Babbit: A Marriage, the stage adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel. Los Angeles Times reviewer Dan Sullivan wrote, “The show uses a slick device here, a barbershop quartet. In fact, two. The 139th Street Quartet (guys) and the Sundance Quartet (gals). They make some mighty sweet music...” In 1988, the Pride of Toledo Chorus opened for American pop group The Lettermen, and Battle Creek Chorus sang on the Andy Williams Christmas Show. When Vienna-Falls Chorus became the 1988 International Champion Chorus, they received a letter of congratulations from Ronald Reagan, president of the United States. Unusual performances: In the 1980s, several quartets performed on cruise ships, including Queens of Harmony, MeloEdge (1983) and 4 For the Show (1984). City of Lakes Chorus performed at the 1985 Major League All-Star Baseball Game in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA), which included many players who were later inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Chinook Winds (Show) Chorus members were among the 1,000 singers who performed at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta (CAN). Merrimack Valley Chorus and Iowa City Chorus performed in Paris, France as part of the French Bicentennial in 1989. City of Lakes Chorus performed for the American Collectors Association — the “kind that come after you when you don’t pay your bills!” as chorus member Luanne Owen described them in The Pitch Pipe.
Competition Changes: In 1982, a quartet performance package was added to International finals competition, and in 1985, chorus finals incorporated a performance package. In 1989, the IBOD approved the implementation of Wild Card Quartet Contestants, to begin with the 1990 International Quartet Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah (USA). In 1989, the Growing Girls from Rönninge, Sweden, became the first quartet from outside the United States to become Queens of Harmony.
Directors Certification Program: The Directors Certification Program (DCP) began in 1987, with its introduction at the Directors Seminar in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA). The program was “designed to give directors a wide range of educational opportunities coupled with evaluative tools to identify strengths and weaknesses.”
River Blenders Chorus performs at Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
The Growing Girls, 1989 Queens of Harmony, from Rönninge, Sweden.
Celebrate! A Moment of International Harmony: In 1986, the Hands Across America event attempted to form a continuous human chain of people holding hands across the contiguous United States. In 1987, for our 40th anniversary, Sweet Adelines held a similar unifying event: “Celebrate! A Moment of International Harmony.” On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Sweet Adelines gathered wherever they were (preferably out-of-doors, in a public area) at an agreed-upon time to perform “Sing and Celebrate!” which was specially composed for the event by Bev Sellers and Sylvia Alsbury. You might recognize the title from the 2019 International Education Symposium, which took it as a theme. They followed up with Nancy Bergman’s “Harmonize the World.”
Young Women in Harmony: In 1989, International President Bev Miller reported in The Pitch Pipe that, “Our concern for the future has led to the beginnings of the Young Women in Harmony program, which is currently being developed as a result of discussions at the International Board table and by the Administrative and Music Direction Committees. The program will be designed to provide education and performance opportunities for high school and college-age women, to provide exposure to barbershop harmony, and to develop curriculum materials in the educational sphere. When young women who have been exposed to this program become older and begin to look for avenues of expression and interest in their lives, we hope they will know where to turn.” The Young Women in Harmony program was approved at the 1989 midyear IBOD meeting.
1976 Queens of Harmony, High Society, perform at a beer festival in West Germany in 1982.
Mavis Burtness reminds Sweet Adelines that Fun is a priority at a leadership seminar in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA).
1980 Atlanta, Georgia (USA) 1981 Phoenix, Arizona (USA) 1982 Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) 1983 Detroit, Michigan (USA) 1984 Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) 1985 Kansas City, Missouri (USA) 1986 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) 1987 Honolulu, Hawaii (USA) 1988 Houston, Texas (USA) 1989 Miami Beach, Florida (USA)
