The Old Songs

click photos to enlarge

Tuesday August 23, 2005 I haven't been able to find out how it started, why, or even when (over 30 years ago?) but the Barbershop Corn Roast is a favorite annual summer get together of the guys for an old fashioned corn roast and hotdog picnic with West Michigan area choruses from Grand Rapids, Lansing, Battle Creek, Holland and I think Muskegon. This year it was held in a wooded Jenison backyard by our host John Baker. There were large pots of boiling corn on the cob and hotdogs on a cinder block barbecue, a table of chips, fixings, and potato salad, long picnic tables, and plenty of great fellowship. There was a turn out of around 40-50 of us and a few brought their families.

Me and my son Lee

After we finished eating, scattered about the yard, leaning against trees or cars we would mingle trying to form/find a 'pickup' quartet to teach one another a song or song endings called tags . It was tough sometimes to find one that didn't already have a man for your part but they would also do double duty and form an additional group with many of the same guys so the odd man out could sing too. However there's never enough tenors to go around for those ultra high barbershop ranges.

Then everyone gathered together on blankets and lawn chairs in front of a closet sized portable plywood theater shell where quartets would take turns performing a number to the crowd. There were lots of shouts for support and friendly teasing.

Tall guy in back was our host John Baker

These picnic pickup quartets being impromptu was often reflected in their choice of names made up on the spot such as, I Have No Idea, At The Last Moment, and Spare Parts, plus the picnic themes Belch, and Hotdogs.

At the end is the traditional group Camp Shirt Chorus of singing without shirts. Not a pretty sight with all those aging bodies and pot bellies but sure was fun:)

To listen, click on the (long) list of audio links below from the Corn Roast!


just wandering the Corn Roast

Everyone- Down Our Way



Quartet; unknown- Till The End
Singers; unknown (Miller GR co-dir)



Quartet; unknown- Till The End
Singers; unknown



Quartet; Town Crier- unknown
Singers; Gillette Trestrail Coe Prescot



Announcements- membership anniversaries



Quartet; Jenison Jewels- My Wild Irish Rose
Singers; Westveld Hatley Baribeau(me:) Gillette



Quartet; Hotdogs- Sweet And Lovely
Singers; unknown (Brown)



Quartet; Undertones- Melencoly Too, Run To The City Of Refuge, The One Rose
Singers; Westers Kraft(GR Pres) Bloomquist Casamatta



Quartet; Silhouette- Let The End Of The World Come Tomorrow, May The Road Rise To Meet You
*2003 Novice Champs
Singers; 2 Dumans Wheeler Baker(our host)



Quartet; Four Wheels- The Joy Of Being In Love, But Who knows Where Or When
Singers; 2 Burrels Wheeler Casamatta



Quartet; Grand River Serenade- Years May Come (love you so)
Singers; Chestnut Mueller Coe Gillette



Quartet; Never Be Four- Wait 'Till The Sun Shines Nellie
*1997 Novice Champs
Singers; Shikowski Johnson Sidor Baker(our host)



Quartet; I Have No Idea- Heart Of My Heart
Singers; Shikowski(?) Thomas Hatley and Branch(our MC)



Quartet; XL- Sweet And Lovely
Singers; Coombs Johnson Baker(our host) Mueller



Quartet; At The Last Moment- Little Eyes I Love You
Singers; Smith/Smits O'Donnell(BC Dir) Hatley Carey



Quartet; Belch- That's What I Call A Pal
Singers; unknown



Quartet; The Congress Of Sound- Down Our Way
Singers; Malquist Gimmon/Kimmon Webber



Quartet; I'd Rather Be Singing- When I Marry, Last Night Was The End Of The World
Singers; Westers Casamatta Prather Koning



Quartet; Fansome- Friends Seem To Be, My World Forever
Singers; Burrells O'Donnell(BC Dir)



Quartet; Shades Of Grey- I've been Working On The Railroad
*1999 Senior District Champs
Singers; Thomet Kraft(GR Pres) Branch Sidor



Quartet; unknown- One More Song
Singers; unknown



Quartet; Fishtown- When I Marry, By and By
Singers; Westers Young Sommerfeld Carey



Quartet; Having A Good Time- That's What I Call A Pal
Singers; Coombs Johnson Johnson Pony



Quartet; California Dreamin- Last Night Was The End Of The World, To The End
Singers; unknown



Quartet; Spare Parts- Sweet And Lovely,
Singers; Sidor Webber Whipbouwer Ketchca



Quartet; Ralphs And Friends- Let Me Call Your Sweetheart
Singers; unknown (Mueller Brown)



Quartet; Golf Couse Foursome- I'm In Heaven When I See You Smile, Last Night Was The End Of The World
Singers; unknown (Battle Creek)



Quartet; Scorpianaeries- I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
Singers; unknown



Quartet; Singing Is Life- What More Can I Say, Happy Trails Untill We Meet Again
Singers; Burrells and Garlock



Quartet; Farts- I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
Singers; unknown



Announcment- In Memorial, Camp Shirt Chorus (no shirts)



Camp Shirt Chorus- Sweet And Lovely



Camp Shirt Chorus- After Dark



Camp Shirt Chorus- Sweet, Sweet Roses Of Morn



Everybody- Keep America Singing
(Barbershop Harmony Society's motto song)

click photos to enlarge

Performing for a building dedication on Sunday Aug 21, 2005 3pm at the New Life United Methodist Church in Lakeview Michigan was the quartet Shades Of Grey, 1999 Pioneer District (Michigan USA plus Windsor Ontario Canada) Senior Division winners. From the left, baritone Gary Branch, bass Jack Sidor, lead Lynwood "Bud" Kraft, and tenor Ron Thomet.

Lakeview is a small town in northern Montcalm county up near where I live so it was a nice treat to have Shades Of Grey perform up this way. I snuck a camera into the church but didn't have the nerve to take a photo until the minister came up during the singing and took one himself.

After Shades Of Grey and some moving memorials about the ajoining building dedication we all walked over to it and placing a hand on some part, a wall, window or door frame and said a prayer.

SOG Contact: Jack Sidor 616-785-7310 ejsidor@earthlink.net