Goodrich- Resident David Worley’s life is all about harmony.
Literally.
Worley is a member of the Flint Arrowhead Barbershop Chorus. The group will perform ‘along with the Sweet Adeline and Fermata Nowhere quartets? at 4 p.m., April 21 at the Raymond C. Green Center for the Performing Arts in Goodrich High School, 8029 Gale Road.
The music ‘is unique in that we sing four part harmony and there is no musical accompaniment,? says Worley, a Royal Oak firefighter and employee at Wojo’s Greenhouse.
Worley, 47, first became involved with barbershop music in college, but found himself singing a different tune when his children were born.
‘I had kids and your priorities change. I told my wife that if they showed an interest in singing barbershop, I’d get back into it,? says Worley.
Now sons Samual and Steven are hitting the stage with their dad, following in his musical footsteps. The three joined the chorus two years ago, after the teens expressed an interest.
‘I’ve got a bunch of tapes (of barbershop music) that I play a lot at home, and they sing along with it and they thought it was neat,? says Worley. ‘And they said ‘how can I do this?? We sort of got a hold of these guys and we started going on Tuesday nights.?
Worley explains the chorus is made of about 30 members from around the Flint area, and has been around since the 1950s.
In addition to competing against other groups, the chorus puts on an annual show in the spring. The performance this year is entitled ‘Shakes, Sodas and Songs? and features a ?50s motif.
Worley says songs such as ‘Under the Boardwalk,? ‘Bye Bye Love,? and ‘Good Night Sweetheart, Good Night? will be performed in barbershop style.
‘It’s very unique. It’s not something that you hear everyday’it’s something like American folk music,? says Worley. ‘It’s clean, wholesome entertainment. It’s family oriented.?
Worley says the show is appropriate for people of all ages.
‘It’s a new experience for a lot of people,? says Worley. ‘There’s so much other music out there that is maybe not the best for kids or families and this is wholesome music. It kind of goes back to our American roots.?
For Worley the best part of participating in the chorus is simply singing the harmonies and getting the uplifting emotional experience he says such music offers.
‘There is definitely something therapeutic about the music,? says Worley. ‘You can’t walk away feeling sad.?