OC TIMES CROWNED INTERNATIONAL BARBERSHOP QUARTET CHAMPIONS
Nashville, Tenn. (July 6, 2008) --- The electrifying young quartet OC Times are the new kings of barbershop. They were crowned the gold champions late last night during the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international quartet contest at the Sommet Center. Three rounds of intense quartet competitions took place this week during the Society’s 70th Annual International Convention.
OC Times’ members hail from Southern California and Reno, Nevada. Last year they won the silver quartet medal, and in 2006 the third place bronze medal. Tenor Shawn York, lead Sean Devine, bass Cory Hunt and baritone Patrick Claypool are three-time international chorus champions with the Masters of Harmony, having won their third gold medals this week. The four talented vocalists were also 2007 chorus champions with Westminster Chorus. Claypool is the only Orange County native; York lives in south Corona, Calif., Devine was a California resident for several years and now lives in Nashville, and Hunt is from Reno.
The competition began Wed., July 2, with 51 quartets pitted against each other from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden. The semifinal round took place Thursday with 20 competing quartets, and the 10 finalists duked it to out tonight to be named the “best of the best” in barbershop harmony. Throngs of screaming fans voiced their support for the popular OC Times, with everyone in Nashville’s Sommet Center on their feet.
Rounding out the top positions was:
Silver Medalist: Crossroads, whose members include Fred Farrell, Michael Slamka, Brandon Guyton, and Jim Henry.
Bronze Medalist, third place: State Line Grocery, whose members are Dylan Oxford, Tim Brooks, Mark Lamback, and Drew McMillin.
Bronze Medalist, fourth place: Redline, whose members are Rick Spencer, Chris Vaughn, Tim McCormic, and Kevin Stinson.
Bronze Medalist, fifth place: Old School, whose members include Rick Taylor, Joe Connelly, Jack Pinto, and Joseph Krones.
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About the Barbershop Harmony Society: Founded in 1938 in Tulsa, Okla., the Barbershop Harmony Society is the largest all-male singing organization in the world with nearly 30,000 members including 1,500 quartets in over 800 chapters. There are also nine official foreign affiliates of the Society.
About barbershop-style a cappella music: Barbershop harmony is a uniquely American musical art form. It is known for its four-part harmony and the “expanded sound” created by its unique chord structure.
For more information about the Barbershop Harmony Society, visit www.barbershop.org and access the news room, or call 615.823.3993 ext. 4119.
Media contact: Michelle Nikolai
