News

Bob Blackwood passes

Bob Blackwood, age 77, passed away on May 29, 2011. He was born in Orlando on December 1, 1933 to Herman and Dorothea Blackwood. Bob is survived by his wife, Marilyn; two sons and their spouses, Bob, Jr. and Jennifer, David and Debra; five beautiful grandchildren, Emily, Angelina, Warren, Lydia and Lila; sister, Patricia. Bob was in the first graduating class of Edgewater High School. While attending the University of Florida, he co-oped at the Nevada Atomic Proving Grounds. He served four years in the Navy on a mine sweeper in the Pacific.

Bob retired from Lockheed Martin after 30 years as a microwave engineer.

Bob loved to sing and was a member of the Orlando Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.  He sang in several championship quartets and choruses and in the Trinity Men’s Choir.

Services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 123 E. Livingston at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 4, 2011.

A visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran School or St. Luke’s Lutheran High School Fund.

Sunshine District Barbershopper Of The Year 2010

Alex Rubin is Sunshine District’s Barbershopper Of The Year [BOTY] for 2010. Alex started Barbershopping at the age of nine and is currently the Musical Director of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter, Sunshine Chordsmen. This BOTY award was presented at our Spring Convention on Saturday, April 9, 2011.

Here is the nomination narrative, from Dan Brinkmann [BOTY 2004], that puts his selection into words:

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Alex Rubin has been a fixture in the Sunshine District for years and has always been someone who can be relied upon to help in any situation. The one hundred points awarded for registered quartets are for his membership in Fortissimo and Throwback and the points awarded for quartet competition are for the District and International conventions. Coaching points include awards for coaching Spanglish, JB4, Uprising, and the HD chorus.

He served as a clinician in one District YIH festival & teaching quartet in another. He’s a consultant to the District VP for Youth In Harmony. He gives his time unselfishly to improving and furthering the Barbershop art form. He is the frontline Director of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter and the HD Youth Chorus. His dedication and ability to communicate with young men who like to sing has resulted in a youthful chorus of energetic great singers who will continue to keep Barbershop in their lives. He is the ideal role model for our District and Society.

In addition to being Musical Director, he is also the webmaster for both the Chapter and for HD Chorus. As a direct result of his musical abilities and leadership qualities, membership in his chapter has increased by twenty members in the last year alone. His activities and accomplishments prior to last year are extremely impressive and include three District Quartet Championships, four appearances at nine International Quartet competitions with four different quartets, and one College Quartet competition.

Under his leadership, his Chapter chorus has competed in seventeen District conventions coming from AA (55% av) to AAAA (78.1% av). Even when he was competing in chorus or quartet, he was a behind-the-scenes contributor to ensure conventions ran smoothly. He demonstrates maturity beyond his years, reflects great credit on the District and fully deserves this BOTY distinction. He is also capable of greater leadership roles in the District.

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Sunshine District is proud to announce this award of Barbershopper Of The Year to Alex Rubin and congratulates him on his energy, effort, and dedication to the Barbershop musical art form.

Frederick Lewin Breedon, Jr.
Jacksonville, Florida
December 19, 2010

Following a tough battle with pneumonia complicated by a staph infection and issues with congestive heart failure, “Fred”, “Dad”, “Pop”, “Poppa”, “Poppi”, “Granddaddy”, “GG Daddy” passed peacefully December 19 with his children and many grandchildren at his bedside. /He will be remembered as one who loved his family without measure, who was devoted to his friends without hesitation, and who trusted God in all things.

He is survived by two sisters, Sarah Davidson, High Point, NC and Rebecca Bullard (Jack) Raleigh, NC; his wife of 43 years Patricia Beason Breedon; four sons, Fred III (Kay), George, Robert (Denise), James (Tammy); a daughter Ann Moody; two step-daughters Sandi Randle and Jeannie Kelley (David); twenty-two grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife Christine Winton Breedon and his oldest step-daughter Cynthia Aultman.

He started his celebration of life April 6, 1925 in Greensboro, NC, and was one of ten children who grew up in the Depression era in the South. He was a “man’s man” who learned to take the punches life threw at him in stride. He got an early education on the hard knocks of life as a professional boxer fighting under the name “Jimmy Day”. He was also a lover of music and played baritone horn in the Greensboro High School band as well as the family brass quartet. He was also a pioneer in the great American a cappella singing art form of Barbershop Quartet music. After moving to Florida, along with his brothers Sam & Joe, he organized and chartered Barbershop Harmony Society chapters in Tampa in 1949 and in Jacksonville in 1953, as well as chapters throughout the Florida Panhandle. In 1949 he competed on the International stage singing bartione in the Florida Knights quartet competing against the Buffalo Bills (Music Man). He would later sing with the Florida Keys and Hi-Jacks quartets. He finally returned to the International competition stage in 2006 where he was joined by all four of his sons and grandson Jamie as a member of The Metropolitans Chorus. While serving as President of the Dixie District he was instrumental in the organization of the Sunshine District of the BHS and was the recipient of the first BOTY (Barbershopper Of The Year) award in 1958. He is one of a handful of men who have served as President in two Society Districts. He was inducted into the Sunshine District Hall of Fame in 1996 and was a current member of the Sunshine District Championship chorus, The Big Orange. He also served as assistant Troop Leader with Troop 250 and helped both his son James and grandson Fred IV earn Eagle Scout honors.

He owned and operated Sellers Bag Company, and later Breedon Bag and Burlap. He served as President in industry organizations such as the Southern Bag Dealers Association and The Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGA).

On Sunday December 26, 2010, at 2 p.m., a “celebration” of life officiated by Rev. Nancy Suellau, followed by an “afterglow” party, will be hosted by:

St Catherine’s Episcopal Church
4758 Shelby Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32210

where he was an active parishioner and member of the choir.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to Harmony

Foundation International:

www.harmonyfoundation.org

110 Seventh Ave. N.
Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37203,

866-706-8021 or 615-823-5611

or to St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church.

stcatherinesepiscopal.org

Read the obituary here: http://tinyurl.com/FredBreedonJr

Keith Hopkins,  2010 Recipient

Presented at Barbershop Harmony Society International, Philadelphia, July 2010

Presenter, Bill Colosimo

“Good afternoon!

The Society’s Music & Performance Committee serves our membership and our art form by developing, encouraging and supporting programs and resources that increase the quality of performances by our chapters, choruses and quartets.

One of the most important elements of a quality performance is a “first-rate” Master of Ceremonies. The Dave LaBar Emcee award, named for one of our departed Society giants, honors an individual who embodies greatness in the “Art of the Emcee.”

The Committee’s selection for this year’s award has been a Society member since 1977. He currently serves our Society as President of the Sunshine District and his own beloved Winter Park, Florida Chapter. He was named Sunshine’s Barbershopper Of The Year in 2008 for his service and accomplishments. He has sung with such entertaining Society quartets as Four Man Vocal Band, Special Edition, the Fabulous Mavericks, and–in the 1990′s–Shenanigans, in which he sang with this award’s very namesake, Dave LaBar! From 1998 until 2004, he performed full-time with the Dapper Dans at Walt Disney World, still “subbing” with them from time to time. Throughout his barbershop career, he has honed his passion for combining music and engaging entertainment and has become a sought-after Emcee Society-wide…for countless shows, contests and–in recent years–for five of our International Mid-Winter Convention extravaganzas where his wit and novelty have even taught his audiences the art of “Barbershop Haiku Poetry!”

Married since 1999 to the talented front-row member of the Toast of Tampa Chorus, Pat Nugent, he now owns a Math and Reading Center which encourages young people to build their academic skills.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating the 2010 Dave LaBar Award recipient, KEITH HOPKINS!”

Award Criteria

This award is given to an Emcee who:

• Has achieved outstanding success at the chapter, district, and international levels as an emcee.
• Understands how to communicate with the audience as both a presenter and an entertainer when appropriate
• Has always used material that is suitable for barbershop audiences of all ages.
• Is always prepared and is very comfortable when addressing the audience by developing an excellent rapport.

Congratulations, Keith!

May 12, 1934 – June 5, 2010

Frank L. Chlad, 76, of Sarasota, died June 5, 2010.

He was born in Cleveland. During his teens he was a nationally ranked figure skater. In 1954 he qualified for the United States team in three events: Singles, pairs and dance. To date, he’s the only skater to accomplish this feat. In 1956 he was named an alternate on the United States Olympic Team. He turned professional in 1957 and coached, choreographed and performed in ice shows.

He graduated from Michigan State and received degrees from Case / Western Reserve University. While at Michigan State, he played varsity hockey and was president of Delta Sigma Pi Fraternity.

Frank served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959 with the Fourth Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas. He was entertainment coordinator and staged variety shows for the troops. He was designated Soldier of the Month April 1958.

Professionally, Frank was a faculty member emeritus of the chemistry department at the University of Akron. He was also university director of hazardous materials. He authored two books on chemical safety and laboratory design and published numerous journal and magazine articles. Through his own consulting company, he designed over 30 chemistry building and science centers throughout the United States. He was a speaker at many events and presented plenary lectures in Montreal, Hawaii and for the Korean Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul.

While at the U of A he coached the tennis team for four years, taking them from a losing team to several winning seasons. (He also called service lines for several U.S. tennis tournaments.)

A 42-year Barbershopper, Frank sang with his Cleveland quartet, The Crooked River Music Company, for 28 years. They have the distinction of being the first barbershop quarter to sing on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and had three repeat performances. They also performed at the Opry Land Theme Park and the General Jackson Showboat. In 1989 they signed a recording contract in Nashville with Landmark Records.

For the past 16 years he sang tenor for the YBLimited quartet. Every year, from November to April, they performed at 50+ events and appeared on various cruise ships.
He was a member of Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood, Venice and Cleveland East chapters. He was instrumental in organizing the Lemon Bay Chord Company (Englewood) with Blair Walker.

He was active in various civic, educational and recreational organizations. Frank served as president of Jaycee chapters and was the state V.P.; He was a school board member for Bedford, Ohio, (four years) and Solon, Ohio (four years).

For 45 years he actively participated and supported his wife with the National Safety Town Center, a non-profit group that provided safety education classes to young children.

Favorite pastimes, other than singing, included fishing (he took four wilderness raft trips to Alaska), collecting antique sheet music (over 2,500 pieces) and golf. He won a tournament and received a trip for he and his wife to Scotland to play five courses, including St. Andrews.

He was blessed with many talents, including a wonderful sense of humor and a sharp and witty mind. His stories and jokes will live forever.

He is survived by his loving wife, Dorothy, of 54 years (they dated since the 7th grade); daughters Tammy Doroshewitz and Lyn Beck; a son-in-law, James Beck; and four grandchildren, Michael, Kristin, Karsten and Brittney.

A celebration of life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 12, at Wiegand Brothers Funeral Home, 7454 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Frank’s name to your local barbershop chapter, or to the National Safety Town Center at 765 John Ringling Blvd. C-32, Sarasota, FL 34236 for safety books to be donated to children’s organizations.

Bart Van de Mark from the Martin/St. Lucie Chapter was announced as the Sunshine District BOTY for 2009 at the Spring Convention. Bart has contributed to Chapter and District operations and is currently District Director of Membership for Sunshine.

Congratulations Bart, and thank you for your many years of service to the District!

The following outstanding members of Sunshine District were named to our Hall Of Fame for 2009 at the Fall Convention:

Lee Frayer, Frank Thorne
Randy Loos, Tampa
Dave LaBar, Tampa **

[**posthumously]

Congratulations and thank you for your service to the District!

With a final score of 1903, Lucky Day becomes our 2009 District Quartet Champion.

Congratulations, Lucky Day!

The Big Orange finished in First Place and earned Most Improved Chorus while One Voice was close second in the International Chorus Qualifier here in Sunshine!

Congratulations, Jacksonville and director Tony De Rosa and Sarasota directors George Gipp and Don Clause!

Collegiate:

Power House! & Spanglish

International Reps:

The PURSUIT, Lucky Day, and Fortissimo

Congratulations, Guys!