The Harmony Halls
1944
(retired)
Winning Members:
Tenor: Ed Gaikema
Lead: Bob Hazenberg
Bass: Gordon Hall
Bari: Ray Hall
Replacement Members:
Tenor: Frank Clark
Tenor: John Peterson
Lead: Harold Hall
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The Harmony Halls came from a background of quartet singing that dated back two generations. Grandpa Hall sang bass in a quartet during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Pop Hall, his son, was a choir and quartet singer at the turn of the century and when O. C. Cash founded the Society it was only natural that some of the six Hall brothers would become barbershoppers.
Harold, Ray, and Gordon Hall, singing lead, bari, and bass respectively, formed the Hall Brothers quartet with tenor John "Slim" Peterson. At the 1942 national contest in Grand Rapids, the quartet made the finals with Frank Clark as tenor.
In March of 1943 the quartet was reorganized; Ray, who was known among barbershoppers as "Curley", and Gordon Hall sang with Bob Hazenberg, lead, and Ed Gaikema, tenor. That year, the Harmony Halls placed fifth. During a year of intensive work, they became Michigan champions the following spring, then entered the international contest in Detroit and won first place.
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