Happy Valentine's Day - 2012

 Another year has gone by and here it is, Valentine's Day again.  Once again this "day of romance" finds the quartet out and about delivering singing Valentine's to that special someone.  The morning started with Doug, our Baritone, making an early morning run to Agoura to help another quartet deliver an singing valentine.  He sped back to Ventura to meet the rest of us to begin our full day singing.

Among some of the highlights of the morning, singing for the Juror pool at the court house.  Our very busy morning found us scooting back and forth across Oxnard and Ventura.  The boys also delivered the highest altitude valentine of the day, on the 21st floor, (top) of the Oxnard "skyscraper".

They got a lunch break at 1 pm and were able to relax for an hour at a local Tai restaurant.  Then it was back to work for a busy afternoon.  Here is a picture of a Valentine delivered at the Ventura Care Givers office in Ventura.

 
The last valentine was delivered in Camarillo at 7:30 pm.  Then the boys made their way home.  Rumor has it that they kicked off their shoes, sat down on the couch and fell asleep!

As special thank you to the quartet's understanding wives who have been without their husbands for 14 years in a row now.

Performance at Ventura County Government Center

Back on December 15, the guys were invited to perform for the Ventura County art awards reception.

Singing Valentines

Each year on Valentine's Day, the quartet donate it's time to perform singing Valentines for people in the are.  The funds raised are used to support music education in local schools.  It is a lot of fun to show up at someone's work and serenade them with a couple of old fashioned love songs.  We also present the lucky person with a rose and a card.  You know, of course, that a guy can score a lot of points with his gal by sending four "handsome" men, (subject to debate), to sing love songs to her.

 Everyone else in the room is thinking "oh, how sweet and romantic" or "I wish my boyfriend/husband would do something like that for me".  What's really fun is when the gals turn the tables and send us out to sing love songs to her guy, especially at his work, in front of his co-workers!  This year most of our deliveries were up in the Santa Barbara area with three in one office in the Goleta area.  

The proverbial cubicle "prairie dog" action started as we began our first song with people coming out of offices to see who was the lucky victim. We had such a good time delivering that we couldn't leave without singing a song for the receptionist at the front desk.

 Her co-workers help us sneak up on her for a big surprise

These two gentlemen were great sports

Santa Paula Car Show

On the first Friday of every month, the city of Santa Paula has a cruse night.  Main Street is closed and people bring their antique cars and hot rods and park them.  The event draws crowds from all over the county.  The boys went there this last August and sang for the crowds. They were sporting their brand new shirts they purchased at the International Convention this last summer.

I don't know, do the boys look angry or something?

OK, Duane looks like he is having a cramp or something!

Can someone tell Duane that he needs to not look so, so.....
I don't know what, be he needs to stop it!

HC Performs for Ice Cream Fundraiser

June 12, 2010 - On Saturday evening the guys convened at the L.D.S. church in Santa Paula where they had the opportunity to perform at a fundraiser being held to support the church's young women's program.

The boys launch into their signature opening number, "We'll Sing All We Know Tonight"

Duane has his eyes closed, (as usual), Bruce is doing his "oriental look", Brent looks like he has a cramp somewhere, and Doug....well, he's just wishing that the rest of us would just try to look normal for once!

Party at Maury's Place

Saturday afternoon, the guys all went to Maury Counts' home to perform for his annual summer party.  Maury has a fantastic old theatre organ at his house and he loves to play it for guests.  The quartet performed several songs for the guests, then helped out with the Bar-B-Que.  Doug and Brent tended the grill. After everyone ate, the quartet ended their visit with a handful of songs.  They had to leave a bit early because they had another performance that day.

Maury himself in his signature white dinner jacket.

 Singing "My Father Was a Widower"

A view through the jungle

Farewell To An Old Friend

This morning the quartet sang for Ed Lupton.  Ed turned 92 yesterday and his son asked if we would come sing for him today to help the family celebrate. Ed loves the Barbershop style and for many years was a member and ardent supporter of the Channel Islands Clipper's chorus.  As a member of the chorus, he received several awards from the chapter, including two "Barbershopper of the Year" awards. 

Ed and Doug often drove to rehearsals together and he had a strong influence on the early members of Harmony Channel.  The quartet sang a couple of the ol' standards, (My Wild Irish Rose and Lida Rose), and also one of Ed's favorite songs, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling".  They also sang "Irish Blessing" as a farewell wish to a good friend, and a good man.
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Added on June 27, 2010

We just learned a short while ago that Ed passed away earlier this week.  We bid him a fond farewell and will miss him.  Our hopes and prayers go out to his family.