Worldwide Barbershop Quartet Association

This Month's Pitch

OCTOBER 2025

Issue 25-10

Greetings!

EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS DECEMBER 31st!

WBQA 2026 CONVENTION in San Antonio, Tx

March 11th to 15th, 2026 . . Hilton DoubleTree Airport Hotel

Registration: $185 Early Bird until January 1st ($199 after)

This will be the BEST EVER Barbershop Convention!

One of the featured events is a Flash Sing at the Alamo in downtown San Antonio. We will sing songs that you know and love plus the Society's theme song. You can find music and learning tracs for our song on our website under the 'Music' tab and 'Official Society Songs'. You don't want to miss this!

Also, if your quartet would like FREE coaching, it will be provided by our previous champion quartet members. Quartets, don't miss this opportunity to improve your vocal presence. Click here for a registration form.

Click here for a Convention schedule to see what is planned

Click here to register for WBQC-2026

Tag - You're It!

Check it out - a new section has been added to your website - a page full of tags! There's sheet music, a full mix of the song sung for you, and you can download all of the parts.

What are you waiting for? Grab three other guys and try them out!

2026 BOARD ELECTED

With no nominations from our members, the Board has been elected by acclamation. Your new officers for 2026 are:

President - Kenny Ray Hatton

Exec Vice President - Raymond Schwarzkopf

Past President - Jay Giallombardo

Secretary - Roger Heer

Treasurer - Sean Praetzel

VP Lodges - George Gipp

VP Marketing - Rich Gray (resigned)

VP Membership - Steve Shannon

VP Quartets Development - Tim McShane

Board Member At Large - Sylvester Wetle

Board Member At Large - Scott Brannon

Board Member At Large - Keith Richmond

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Three of the Board Members At Large were elected to a two-year term. The following Board Members At Large are fulfilling their second term.

Board Member At Large - Paul Blazek (one year remaining)

Board Member At Large - Ron Rank (one year remaining)

4th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL QUARTET CONTEST

Thursday, March 12th and Saturday, March 14th

Registration is now open to enter your quartet for the WBQA WorldWide Quartet Contest. There is no charge to enter your quartet, but all four members must purchase a convention registration to qualify. Order of appearance after February 1st, so be sure that your quartet registers before that.

Click here to register for the Quartet Contest

Our contest is judged by members from our attendees - no certified judges. But we have found that our novice judges do a pretty good job of selecting our champion quartet. If you are interested, click here for a document explaining what is involved. You can sign up before each contest at the Registration Desk at the Convention.

NEW LODGE APPROVED

The Board approved the Puyallup Washington group as Lodge #16.

George Gipp, VP Lodges, stated that they completed the last 5 steps of the Lodge requirements in record time. Congratulations guys!

The Portland Oregon Daytime Singers were also approved as a Pending Lodge. This allows them to the benefits of our organization while they complete the final 5 steps to become a Duly Official WBQA Lodge.

Fellow Chord Busters:

    Last month I asked you to help build our Society membership by contacting every inactive or former member of the BHS that you know. Some of you did! (THANKS!!!) But many of the excuses I heard for not sharing this opportunity were variations of “I don’t know anyone in towns that have Lodges.”

    My response was: “What’s your point? Do you have a Lodge close to you?” NONE did! 

“Well,” I asked, “Why did you join WBQA? (It sure wasn’t to stand on risers for hours rehearsing two contest songs!) Point is, whatever made you join, THOUSANDS of formerly active Barbershoppers feel the same way you did, but they don’t know how to renew the joy that drew them to Barbershopping, years ago. You do!

So, commit a few minutes, right now, and work with me. WBQA has about 2,200 members. We’re located all around the country, and each of us knows at least a couple inactive barbershop friends, somewhere. That means the chances are mighty good that – as a group – we know several thousand such available singers. As a Preserver of the Barbershop Style, your opportunity is to welcome them back into the fellowship of manly chord busting. 



Doesn’t matter where you live or where they live. It only matters that you contact them – TODAY. Do it now.

Steve Shannon

Membership VP

Worldwide Barbershop Quartet Association

HOTEL RESERVATIONS:

DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, San Antonio Airport

We were able to keep the hotel room rate the same as the last two years! Just $115 plus tax per room per day. Split a room with a friend and it's just $57.50 per day. These rates are in effect from Wednesday, March 11th through Sunday, March 15th.

Included in your reservation is breakfast each day.

Click here to reserve your room

NOTE:

1. The rate on the hotel's reservation form says $117 per day. However, after the registration for your stay is calculated, it will show the rate at $115 per day.
2. The dates are preloaded from Wednesday, March 11th through Tuesday, March 17th. If you are staying fewer days, then you must adjust your days by clicking on the 'Edit Stay' link on the line with the dates on the far right.

In Memoriam - Robert 'Snake' Fogle, Sr Dundalk, MD

Chesapeake, MD Lodge

Aug 3,1937 - Sep 16, 2025

Founding Member F0009 - February 2018

Bob was one of the founding members of our Society along with longtime friend, Montana Jack Fitzpatrick, who formed the new 'Society for the Preservation and propagation of Barbershop Quartet Singing in the United States' - SPPBSQSUS. He was also a founding member of the newly formed Dundalk Chapter, The Chorus of the Chesapeake. Bob served in most Dundalk Chapter offices and committees. He was acknowledged as “the glue” that kept the Dundalk Chapter alive. He was instrumental in promoting 'woodshedding' and co-chaired weekend events around the Baltimore area.

Bob was honored as the Dundalk Chapter Barbershopper of the year, Dundalk Master Barbershopper, a member of DELASUSQUAHUDMAC Honor Chapter of the Mid-Atlantic District, the M-AD Barbershopper of the year and as Dundalk Man of the Year for his service to the Dundalk community.  

NEW MEMBERS: OCTOBER

We are growing! We had 6 new singers join us this month for a total of 2,050 members. Here are the new members who have joined us last month:

• Darryl Engler, Glen Rock, PA
• Charles White, Portland, OR
• Brian Murphy, Ellenton, FL
• Dudley Lytle, Wimuaua, FL
• Paul McGraw, Largo, FL
• David Cook, Apollo Beach, FL, BADD Boys Quartet

Be sure to let your Barbershop friends know about us. You might want to forward this email to them so they can see what's happening.

OCTOBER BOARD MEETING NOTES

• With no nominees from the floor, the Board has been elected by acclamation.
• The Board accepted the resignation of Rich Gray, Marketing Vice-President. This position is now open.
• The Revenue Development Committee addressed several ideas for raising funds for the Society. They will select one or two as their first promotion.
• Lodge VP George Gipp presented the Puyallup WA group to become an official Lodge after their completion of the final steps required. Motion approved for them to become Lodge #16.
• The Portland, OR Daytime Singers group was approved as a Pending Lodge

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

• Member Database - Find other members, find Lodges or find quartets. Link to the database is in the restricted Members page. When signing in, your member number MUST include the preceding letter - Ex M1234. Try it. First time? You will need to click 'Reset Password' after entering your member number. You will be sent a link to the email address on file to reset or create your password.
• Missed a newsletter? Check the 'Documents' tab' for the latest Society Newsletter, the Quartet Corner Bulletin or the Lodges in Motion Bulletin.
• Please, please, please DO NOT click on the 'Unsubscribe' link below. If you do, you will no longer receive any communication from your Society. we can only send you a 'Resubscribe' link ONCE!

Roger Heer, Secretary WBQA and Newsletter Editor

Worldwide Barbershop Quartet Association

Visit Website - wbqa.info , ,,,,,, Email Us: wbqasings@gmail.com