Gall, who is the most senior members of the group, organized and directed the YMCA Boys Choir in Racine for over 25 years. He also started and directed the Racine Church Singer, an interdenominational group of barbershop singers, and played in a small dixieland band for many years.
Albrecht worked for the S.C. Johnson Wax Company until his retirement. He was introduced to barbershop singing by Muth when they both served in the Navy during the Korean War. Albrecht brought along his ukulele and, together with Muth, the pair began singing, clowning and entertaining the rest of the crew members.
A baritone, Jensen began her barbershop singing as a member of the Sweet Adelines at the age of 18. She and her group won a gold medal with the 1951 quartet champions, The Quarternotes.
Metropolis are the 2005 International Quartet Bronze Medalists and 1998 National Acappella Champions. Residents of California, the group first came to the attention of the national television audience in the last few years, beginning their appearance on the pilot episode of "Fourth Floor Show" on E! Entertainment Television, and filming of a national Dr. Pepper commercial later that same year.
In 1999, they were featured in the Christmas episode of "Diagnosis Murder" with Dick Van Dyke and have appeared regularly in the Los Angeles area.
The group - which consists of Kelly Shepard, baritone, Brian Philbin, bass, Bob Hartley, lead, and James Sabina, tenor - has performed in 36 states as well as the countries of Canada, Finland and Russia.
Shepard has sung professionally for 16 years in civic and professional operas and musical productions. He holds a degree in music education from the Indiana University School of Music and is currently the Department Chair of Theater Arts for Milken Community High School in Los Angeles.
A regular singer in "The Ivy League" at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1983, Philbin holds a baccalaureate of science in theater arts and musical theater from Eastern Michigan University where he was a member of the EMU Madrigal Ensemble. He has performed professionally in various media as an actor, singer, dancer, stand-up comic and mime.
Also a member of "The Ivy League," Hartley began singing acappella as a tenor. He has represented the Pioneer District at international conventions four times as well as having served as musical director the the Sweet Adelines International River Raisin Chorus and Macob County Harmony Heritage Chorus. He represented the United States in a worldwide competition as a member of the EMU Madrigal Ensemble, placing second at Cork festival in Dublin, Ireland. He is currently performing with The Dapper Dans of Disneyland.
Reprinted with permission from the Escanaba Daily Press: http://www.dailypress.net/community/story/0929202005_com01-c0929.asp
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