Great Quartets Radio Show - Buffalo Bills PART 1

[nickbb19970]

im in the musical "the music man" and im the bass in the school board/barber shop quartet. i love playing the part!

[HometownTragedy]

I'd pay for the original, uncompressed version of this.

Does it exist?

[nzbbs]

thanks grady!

[bcklines]

That is really cool that your parents saw them.

[bcklines]

I worship these guys! Wish I could have met them and even sang with them.

[DommerSocialMedia]

@bcklines My father also loved these guys...he and my mother went to the Roostertail Restaurant in Detroit to see them in the early sixties...they went out into the audience and sang with patrons...the old man could really carry a tune and they picked him to sing a song with them...those were the days...

[83mckay]

@WoozaWoozaWoo - My mom is Lynn! That's really exciting to hear! My Grandpa conducted the congregation for a long time! I'll share this with both my Mom and Grandpa.

[topkeydad2003]

I must return to listen to this group again and again. In 1964, I saw my first actual professional stage production. I saw The Music Man.... and loved the feeling ... harmony of barbershop quartet singing. I later joined the Thoroughbreds barbershop chorus...I no longer find anyone to singing the music.. I miss busting a chord in pure harmony. I hope that when you gents reproduce this music... you cause one boy in the audience to have chills up and down his spine!!

[tophatbill]

We are doing rhe music man in march and I know without a doubt that we will be up against the greatest quartet to ever live in my opinion! any pointers? Secrets?

lol

Bill White Columbus Ohio.

tophatbill@yahoo.com

[83mckay]

My Grandpa was the baritone for the Buffalo Bills. He was with them when they won the 1950 International Championship. He auditioned for the Music Man, made the cut, but decided not to go. He helped train their new baritone, Scotty Ward who took his place for the movie. Almost all of the music on this video is my grandpa singing.

[WoozaWoozaWoo]

@83mckay - I knew your Grandpa; I was friends with his daughter, Lynn, and your Grandma taught me in my Laurel class after I joined the Church at the age of 17.Brother Grapes led the music in Sacrament meeting. Because of him and his love of this obscure hymn, I am one of the few members of my current ward who knows the hymn, "Dear To The Heart of the Shepherd".It is one of my favorites.I really liked your grandparents. Both of them have had a lasting impact on my testimony and membership.

[MrRussf2]

The Buffalo Bills were invited to be the guest quartet in our local Barbershop Chorus show shortly after the Music Man came out. I sang on stage with them...what a thrill. Verne Reed settled here after the Bills broke up. He owned a retail store and exhibited at our local fair. I would spend hours with him just talking about those years. He died a few years ago of Alzheimers...very sad! I have such great memories of those talks. He really love the quartet.

[BuffaloBillsQuartet]

3:26

[naorsilva]

Hello. I am an music student and I like this song, where can I get this arrangement.

Thank.

[BuffaloBillsQuartet]

Which song?

I can help you answer

[WankstaProductions]

My great grandfather is Phil Embury, the arranger/composer of their music. He worked very hard with their music, and my grandfather knew them all very well. It is an honor to listen to them.

[BuffaloBillsQuartet]

I made this account (I am also WankstaProductions) for my studies on this quartet. I made a mistake with my previous comment. Phil Embury didn't compose anything.

[p1n0yXer]

@WankstaProductions oh how lucky you are

[gaystereotype]

President of a boys club, policeman, salesman and a truck driver. Wow.

[nudist0885]

Ok, I'm confused just a little........................

Who were the 4 guys in "The Music Man"?

In the "ice cream" chord I would figure that Bill Spangenberg was the 1st guy, Scotty Ward was 2nd, Vern Reed was 3rd, and Al Shea was 4th.

Or to put it clearer.

Bill Spangenberg says "Academic certificates"

Scotty Ward says "Nothing of the kind"

Vern Reed says "We need letters and papers"

and Al Shea says "Make him put up a bond".

Are those presumptions correct?

[TomBarristerX]

Reed has the highest note. The "Lead" (Shea in this case) singer is generally the melody, and the others harmonize both above (Reed) and below (Ward, Spangenberg) on the scale.

[TomBarristerX]

Reed was the shortest and usually on the (viewer's) left. Shea was the portly, handsome one, usually second from left. Ward, a bit taller than Spangengerg, was generally second from right and had a full head of hair,slightly taller than Spangenberg. Spangenberg was usually on the right and was balding (as was Reed.

[TomBarristerX]

Vern Reed (tenor) and Al Shea (lead) were with the group from its inception in 1947 until the quartet broke up in 1967. Hershel Smith (baritone) was replaced by Dick Grapes in 1948; Grapes was replaced by Scotty Ward in 1957. Bill Spangenberg (bass) was replaced by Jim Jones in 1962. Spangenberg (d.1963), Shea (d.1968), Ward (d.1988), Reed (d.1992), and Smith (d.2007) are no longer with us. Jones and Grapes are still alive and well.

[smlx4]

Thank you for this. My father was Vern Reed and I love how he was loved!!

[CookBooks1]

My mother once told me her uncle was friends with some members of the Bills, so close that they attended his funeral in Elkhart, IN in the early 80's or so. I'm not sure if your father was one of his friends or not, I'm not sure how they met or any other specifics. What an amazingly talented group, I could listen to them for hours!!

[JBrewCrew]

Your father had an amazing voice. His inspiration has allowed me to discover the Barbershop Harmony Society and I fully intend to get involved with them in my city. The Music Man to this day is my favorite musical (just the Robert Preston version b/c it has the Bills).

[ctfireman]

I have a black and white photo of the Buffalo Bills with my Granfather. They are awesome

[smlx4]

Any chance I can get a copy??? My dad is Vern Reed.

[daughterrevolution]

Why does this song Lida Rose always make me tear up? It's just so simple and beautiful.

[matrix86]

Not only do I love the Buffalo Bills, I LOVE the slide at end of the tag on Alexander's Ragtime Band. These boys really knew how to blend!

[misspaddylee]

Cool!

[PersonMan1234]

These guys were in The Music Man. Such a good movie....