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January 2007 InCider Press Page 5 |
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Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started singing when I was about 5 years old. My parents would put me on top of my grandfather's grand piano and I would sing "The Friendly Beast" song at Christmas. My dad, John, was a charter member of the Little Apple Chorus. He invited me to come to a chorus practice (1977?) and see what it was all about. That's when the bug bit. I really enjoyed the close harmony, the chords that give me chills up and down my spine, that comes when singing barbershop. After singing with the chorus for a short time, Jim Eickman approached me and asked if I would like to sing in a quartet with him, Gene Wiley and Dev Nelson. I jumped at the chance and the rest, as they say, is history. There have been changes (Jim Quick, Leonard Purvis, and Tim Fish), but Gene and I have been quartet singing together for almost three decades. We started out singing - oh shudder - the hits from JPB like "Bill Grogan's Goat" (complete with the waving of red handkerchiefs) to now performing songs like "San Francisco Bay Blues" and our signature piece "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." My wife, Cindy, and I are both elementary teachers. I have been teaching for 31 yeas and currently teach at Marlatt Elementary. My oldest daughter, Kim, and her husband live in Kansas City. She is an optometrist and her husband will soon be a chiropractor. My daughter, Beth, received her doctorate and practices physical therapy in Birmingham, Alabama. Last year I sent Singing Valentine's to each of the girls at work. As soon as they saw four tuxedos approaching, they knew what I had done. Besides teaching and singing I enjoy learning and performing magic whenever I get the chance. Cindy and I enjoy traveling the world, having visited four continents. Each country we visit sets me on an adventure to discover some new music to add to my eclectic collection. We have enjoyed hearing about Wayne and Twila Bailie's "Amazing Race" as they visited all seven continents and hope to experience similar adventures ourselves in the years ahead. Ken Garwick Tenor |
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Meet member Ken Garwick |
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I have enjoyed stories from the other members. I had a chuckle when I read about Leonard Purvis being a skinny kid singing tenor. The first time I stood on a riser beside Leonard at a chapter meeting and felt the riser vibrate under my feet when he went for a low one is something I will always remember. About me. I grew up on a farm south of Abilene, the youngest of five. My mother loved music although she never had any musical training. My father sang tenor in the country church choir as I did. We always had an organ and piano in our home and the family gathered around as did many families of that time. I attended a one-room school through grade 8 and high school in Abilene. I was involved in men's glee club, mixed chorus and band. Mixed chorus for several years was judged highly superior as well as our band. In addition I sang solos in the state music contests and rated highly superior. After high school I continued to farm and sing for weddings and funerals in the community. For several years a friend and I sang in the Lindsborg Messiah chorus each Easter. My wife and I were married in 1943 and have three children and six grandchildren. My first introduction to barbershop was in the early 1940s when they were trying to organize a chapter in Abilene and I attended a few meetings. After trying several occupations I became a Life Insurance agent in Manhattan. Later I lived and worked in Hutchinson in other phases of the insurance industry. I sang in the Salt Minors of Hutchinson for 7 years until we moved to southern California when the company was sold to a bank holding company. My job title was VIP Operation, Insurance Companies. We lived in California 12 years and retired in 1987 and moved back to Manhattan in 1990. In the spring of 1991 I joined the Little Apple Chorus. Many happy hours have been spent in chapter meet |
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Meet member Mel Emig |
