‘‘Soon I sang as part of a quartet and we four came in second place in Novice competition, after being together only a month or two. So we entered competition in Rochester and made it to 11th place out of about 23 quartets,’’ says Mrs. Gregory. ‘‘Not bad for a quartet who had been together less than a year. It (the judging) is much more rigid today.’’
A new chapter, Chautauqua Shores Chapter of Sweet Adelines International, began in the ’80s. Helen Lippert, a charter member, was instrumental in reorganizing after there had not been a chorus for awhile.
‘‘I was right there again and a charter member. It is a great group of girls who are really there for one another. We love to entertain all around.’’
‘‘The nice thing about it is, you don’t have to be able to read music,’’ adds Opal Frank. ‘‘For those who don’t know the Sweet Adelines, it is often described as a counterpart of the Barbershoppers.’’
‘‘There are special chords that are strictly barbershop chords and we sing in that style also,’’ puts in Joan Baer, a charter member of the Chautauqua Shores Chapter.
It is not just ‘‘Sweet Adeline’’ and ‘‘Down by the Old Mill Stream.’’ There are more contemporary songs.
‘‘The group is trying to entice younger women and is now referring to the women as Sweet Adeline Divas,’’ says Mrs. Gregory.
‘‘A new language for a new age group,’’ adds host, Jody Terhune, the group’s membership chairman. ‘‘The younger women have never heard of the Andrews Sisters.’’
The Chautauqua Shores Chapter is looking for new members for all parts, of all ages.
‘‘It is open to ladies of all ages,’’ says Mrs. Frank. ‘‘We have an 80-year-old and have had an 18-year-old, who is currently going to college.
‘‘And we have had a 16-year-old,’’ says Mrs. Gregory.
The local chapter consists of women from many areas, including Warren. Pa. Dee Stuart is the interim director and Joan Baer is the assistant director. Mary Lou Watt is the management team leader and was voted Sweet Adeline of the Year of 2006.
They do various fund-raisers, such as singing Valentines, white elephant auctions at their meetings, Rada Knife and dishcloth sales and performances.
The half-hour shows are usually seasonal or patriotic. They sing for nursing homes, class reunions and for any event where entertainment is needed.
The ladies have sung the National Anthem for the Jammers games a couple of times and have sung at craft shows, the Traveling Viet Nam Wall, for the Masons, the Eastern Star and mother-daughter banquets. They are busy in December putting on holiday shows and voluntarily singing in the hospital.
A regional competition is held at the Civic Center in Syracuse every spring. It is mandatory that each group competes at least once every three years.
The Carrot Soup recipe came from Joan Baer by way of her nephew. When Opal Frank offered her Apple Date Dream Cake to a relative she was told by the family member that she did not like dates. After accepting a piece of the cake Mrs. Frank was surprised that there were no dates left behind, but the apples were.
The local chorus meets at the First Congregational Church (Fourth Street entrance across from the Red Cross Building). Anyone interested in the Sweet Adelines can contact Jody Terhune, membership chairman at 483-5691 or Opal Frank, Chorus manager, at 354-2121 for bookings.
Reprinted with permission from the Jamestown Post Journal: http://post-journal.com/articles.asp?articleID=5512
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