May 2012 Newsletter - North Georgia Barbershop Singers

SWEET TEA IN
CHURCH
By Tom Riggle
T he fledgling
Sweet Tea
Quartet did a
bunch of Singing
Valentines around
Hall County in
February, plus a
30-minute evening
session for about 40 people in John’s Creek (not
really in the creek.) We did three songs during the
NGBS performance at the Cumming Playhouse on
March 3. Then we sang a song at the AVP Multi
Chapter gathering on March 19 for about 150 Atlanta
area barbershoppers. We also did two songs
at the Bowen Arts Center in Dawsonville on
March 24 along with the NGBS chorus.
These were all fun things to do. However,
on March 29, Sweet Tea did their first real gig for
an outside group. We were to meet at the Baptist
church in Cumming at 11:30 AM. Do you know
how many Baptist church’s there are in Cumming
We were a bit tardy in meeting our self-imposed
time line at Cumming Baptist Church but were met
by a cordial Betty Gravitt at the back door entrance
to their meeting place. Ms. Gravitt was the coordinator
of a large Senior Group Luncheon at the
church. We still had a good 45 minutes for Malcolm
to get dressed, warm up and run through
most our planned agenda.
We met Rev. Mark Wood who is the
Associate Pastor of Music at Cumming Baptist.
He is also the sound-man and had set up a sound
system for us. Our own Bass/sound-man, Terry
Gillim, took one look at the cement block room
and declared the amplification to be unnecessary,
even for such a large group. I couldn’t even count
the number of seniors there. Or, rather, didn’t
bother to try. But, Terry was right, the room was
live and our sounds filled the room.
We enjoyed ourselves and the audience
seemed to be genuinely appreciative, several singing
along with us, including the Rev. Wood. So
they offered us dessert, which we gladly accepted
along with some sweet tea. We left feeling good
about our first time.
A
A Foot Shorter
By Jerry Frank
ctually I should say a shorter foot. Tom has
been plagued with a hammer toe problem that
just wouldn't improve and was becoming increasing
difficult to ignore. Tuesday, April 3, 2012 was the
day that his surgeon trimmed the ends off the bones
of number two and three toes of his right foot which
should make his shoes much more comfortable after
the healing process is completed.
Tom breezed through the surgery and found
that he only needed one pain pill to make it through
the first day and night after his event. I wouldn't be
surprised if Tom became the poster child for foot
repair services. Judy his wife, says that he has been
a model patient and pleasantly tolerable during his
recovery so far. Tom has not taken advantage of
this "condition" and has not required much extra
attention.
Although I personally consider that
his inability to elicit some extra pity as a poor
example to the wives of those of us who thrive
upon it, I have to admire his attitude. Get well soon,
Tom. The Lads of Lanier just doesn't sound the
same without it's anchor Bass.
A sure way to find out how
well you are progressing is to
sing one of your chorus repertoire
in a pick-up quartet for
your chapter members.
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