About Afternoon Delight

About Three Katz & A Mouse

Barbershop singing is truly an American art form and groups of barbershoppers, men and women, are active all over the world. It is a great way to make friends and to have a good time, as well as a wonderful hobby. The Ladybirds, a local group of singers of barbershop harmony, was established in 1974, and as of this writing have been entertaining for over thirty years. Some of the original members are still active in the group, and over time, many new members have joined the chorus.

Members of the Ladybirds Barbershop Harmony Singers pose in their new shirts for their 2004 group portrait. Click photo for full size version and details about members. (Photo originally featured in the Cumberland Times-News.)

The group, under the direction of Ellie Batchelor, meets weekly at the Park Place United Methodist Church in Cumberland, Maryland for their rehearsals. They entertain at various functions in the tri-state area including Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Occasionally, they travel even further astray from their “home” audience. Entertainment by the Ladybirds has been enjoyed by such groups as residents of nursing homes, church organizations, senior citizens groups, hospital staffs, business groups, veterans groups, and eclectic audiences who follow the barbershop singers wherever they go. Indeed, the Ladybirds have sung everywhere from the Country Club Mall in LaVale to the Bedford Village to the Frostburg Festival to Cumberland’s Heritage Days to the History House in Cumberland and, last but not least, to the White House in Washington, D.C. The schedule of their performances can be found on the Schedule page. The group is very ambitious and is very much in demand in the area.

The Ladybirds, who began with approximately ten members, eventually increased their numbers to about thirty-three; at the present time the group boasts twenty members on their rolls. The Ladybird Barbershop Harmony Singers is an organized group, partially sponsored by the Allegany Arts Council. They operate under the current slate of officers, who include: Sandy Daughton as president, Shirley Carson as vice-president, Betty Twigg as secretary and Shirley Chisholm as treasurer. The group has devised a set of policies, procedures and by-laws, which are the basis of the group’s function. Additionally, there are various committees headed by members of the group. These committees include: social events, publicity, costume committee, and music committe, along with several one-person positions which include choreography, historian, and parliamentarian.

One may ask how in the world an organization of this type can stay active for more than a quarter of a century. The answer is simply that, as the song says, “Music Makes the World Go Round.” Everyone loves music, and Barbershop is truly special with wonderful harmony. Ask any barbershopper and she’ll say that it is very satisfying to entertain others and see the enjoyment on their faces, and to hear the applause from audiences, which is “music” to our ears.

Frequently, after a Barbershop show, either men’s or women’s, there is scheduled what is known as an “Afterglow.” This is a fun time for the singers. They get together in a location where they can continue their singing and have some refreshments, too. Barbershoppers hate to stop singing! It takes nothing to make them break into song; in fact, they even like to sing in elevators! Books have been published with one or two (or more) lines of lyrics and harmony. These short tags, as they’re called, delight the singers who ring their chords well into the night! In short, Barbershop Harmony becomes a way of life for these people; it’s more than a hobby, really. It’s showtime! It’s fun! It’s wonderful! It’s addictive! There are barbershop groups all over the world, and nothing is more stimulating than meeting a fellow barbershopper; the chances are that person knows several of the same songs as the other person. The next thing you know, you can hear that fabulous harmony as it fills the air and brings pleasure to people all around, but especially to the barbershoppers themselves!