[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 60-02, April - June, 2006 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

What an experience!

By Rick Morrison

To the members of Rumors and members of APOC (Association of Past Ontario Quartet Champions), I cannot thank each of you enough for the memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. This past weekend was a blast to past for me. I not only had a chance to meet up with three very dear and old friends but also with many Ontario Barbershoppers that I haven’t seen for 14 years or more. Matter of fact, there were many people I saw in the distance and wanted to sing or chat with them but I simply ran out of time. Why couldn’t this have been a week-long convention?

As it was, I arrived in British Columbia at 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning (your time) and it’s taken me two days to decompress from such a high energy weekend. I’m getting to old to be closing bars on Friday and Saturday nights at conventions.

When Chris asked if I would attend many months ago and the chorus would help with airline costs, I didn’t think there were any songs I remembered from 20 years ago. As time marched on and the four of us started to converse back and forth, it was as if we stopped singing six months ago. The inside jokes and wit were right where we left off in 1988.

Dave [Beetham] sent us a CD of some old recordings and we proceeded to bone up on some songs. We decided on three numbers about a week before contest and frankly, I didn’t put much work into it. I wasn’t sure what level the others would be at either.

We were asked to mic test on the Friday but Rob [Lamont] was unavailable. Dave found Don Pelvin sitting in the woods and he agreed to sing with us. We all met on Friday before contest and quickly came up with two songs that would not embarrass us.

I can’t remember the last time we all tested the mics on stage for a contest, but I would venture to say its been 30 years. We were honored and thrilled to be given the opportunity to set the stage for the competitors. It seemed fitting that past champions would do this.

Why Don is not singing in a quartet is a mystery to me. This man would be hounded by BBS’s in the Evergreen district. Don, thanks for the opportunity to sing with you.

On Saturday, Rumors met for the first time in 18 years. Funny how our reunion would be at convention and we would be singing on the contest stage. In our youth, the fire in our belly was the need to compete.

Today it's acid reflux.  

Our warm-up was better than expected once the revelry subsided. We went through a few songs and confirmed the three we should sing on stage. As we practiced, waves of memories came flooding back to me. Moments in Minneapolis, Hartford, San Antonio, Salt Lake City and cities in between.

We soon joined the APOC Chorus at the school and we were surrounded by our old friends and competitors from long ago. Fortunately, you guys sang a couple of songs we did know. Wish we practiced the Gospel number a few times however.

As the curtain parted for the APOC Chorus performance, I became overwhelmed with emotions and had to pinch myself that this was not a dream. As usual, had no idea what was going to happen next but knew that Ray and Chris had this all under control.

Chris did a masterful job of introducing the quartet and I wish to thank him personally for including Jubilation and Merv Kay as he was a big part of the evolution into Rumors.  

Here was the moment that I had been thinking of for the past four months. What is going to happen folks?

We launched into our first song “ Powder Your Face” and low and behold got to the tag.

Second song, “Rose on Your Cheek”. We stepped to the micropohone and I heard Rob take a deep breath and thought no way. I’m not ready for this yet.  What about all that coaching from Ray and Ron about taking the time to set up.  So, I stopped everyone and took control of the song. We focused and the sound of the quartet came roaring back as it was so long ago.

I can admit there were times throughout the song where I had flashbacks of coaching moments and performances on stage. There is a part of the song where Rob and I share a very special chord and I looked over at him and all I could think of was how special it was to be able to share this again with him.

Time was going so very slow for me on stage. Suddenly we were at the tag and the lead has to post the last note on the tag and ride the skis baby. That is when I heard that huge wall of sound coming from these awesome singers standing beside me. We held that note for what seemed forever. We were very pleased to know that once again, we made it through an entire song without losing it. The audience erupted into applause and we could see their faces and knew they too enjoyed the moment.

As Dave graciously thanked the APOC Chorus and the Ontario District for the support over the years, I thought of how many times we had stood like this on stage and let Dave talk. I know, there were moments when we shouldn’t have. However, everyone knows how competitive Dave is and likes to take control of his destiny.

Speaking for Bill and Rob, I would like to say a very special thank you to Dave for keeping our heads in the game and kicking our butts when they needed to be kicked. He provided many funny moments over the years. I count myself lucky to have had the opportunity to sing and perform with him and to be able to count Dave as one of my closest friends.

Our last song, “Hate to Talk About Myself” was chosen because it was an up-tempo and we had a lot of fun with it in the past. When we launched into this, I looked at the other three and found we were all doing the choreo we had learned 18 years ago. It felt like we performed the song yesterday. We were having a lot of fun on stage and it showed. Again, I felt very calm and relaxed inside knowing that Dave, Rob and Bill were having a ball too.

Speaking of Bill, he was holding court like he always has on the end. Bill was our inspiration and always one to interject his wit if the moment was too serious. When on stage, it’s a comfort knowing that Bill was providing a performance within a performance.

I have yet to meet or sing with another tenor of his talent. Bill knows how to perform as a tenor and how to make a lead look really good.

The standing ovation from the district was again overwhelming. I wish we could have had a big group hug. The love and support from the people of Ontario is second to none. I have yet to come close to this experience since I left the District in ‘91. My heart will always be with the Ontario District.  

The weekend was capped off with singing with many old friends at the afterglow. I had a chance to say good-bye to Rob and Bill once more but missed Dave and Chris at the end of the evening.

If I had the chance, I would have told you that I am forever indebted to you both because you put a lot of time and effort into making this happen for Rumors. This experience ranks at the top of my list along with us placing 14th.  

It was the journey we took together as a foursome from 1976 to 1988 that lives with me, everyday, and whenever I think back to a special moment we had, I smile and think of you guys laughing or singing and enjoying life as it was meant to be. You guys gave me something this past weekend that I will always cherish and I intend to share it with friends here on the coast.

Thanks for the memories, the song, the love and the friendship.

Sing cerely,
Rhinestone Ricky  

Photo — Waldo Redekop

Rumors

Tenor: Bill Moore
Lead: Rick Morrison
Bass: Rob Lamont
Baritone: Dave Beetham
k