User:Steve sings bass/sandbox/The Houston Tidelanders

Introduction
The Houston Tidelanders Houston Chapter in the SouthWestern District – Texas; Louisiana; most of Arkansas; Oklahoma; southeastern New Mexico: 40 chapters of the Barbershop Harmony Society (SPEBSQSA, Inc.) was founded in 1946 with over 200 men. The Houston Tidelanders is a 65 member men's chorus, based in Houston, Texas. District Champions 17 times from 1964 - 2015 with 9 top 10 finishes in international barbershop chorus competitions. The ensemble has performed an incredibly diverse musical repertoire and possesses a music library of over several hundred charts and songs. The group sings barbershop music, american patriotic music, jazz, religious music, show tunes, and pop music. They host multiple performances throughout the greater Houston, Texas metropolitan area. The chorus performs for the benefit of several organizations including the Heroes at Home Golf Tournament, Needville High School Choir, and Fort Bend Family Promise. The chorus has earned nine BHS International Chorus Convention Competition Medalists | International Medals, the latest in 1984.

History of SPESBSQSA
The Society was founded after tax lawyer Owen Clifton (O.C.) invited his friends to sing together at a party. They sang through the entire night together as a group and in quartets at the historic Tulsa Club building. This was a period of time when people were nostalgic for when four-part harmony was part of contemporary popular music. O.C. was particularly interested in preserving the history and nostalgia of barbershop music. O.C. wanted to save the art from dying to the threat of radio. O.C. sought the financial support of Rupert I. Hall, an investment banker. Together they founded the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The acronym, SPEBSQSA, was selected because the founders recognized how popular long acronyms were in the 1930’s. W.H. Anderson joined the Tulsa Chapter. The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, SPEBSQSA, remains the legal name of the Society. In 2004, the Society adopted Barbershop Harmony Society or BHS as its official moniker.

History of the Tidelanders
W. H. Anderson moved from Tulsa to Houston in 1946. He quickly realized that Houston didn’t have a barbershop chapter or group. So he and O.C. Cash decided to try and start one. Subsequently, over 150 men attended the first SPEBSQSA familiarization meeting in the Sam Houston Room of Houston’s Rice Hotel in October 1946. By October 21, 1946, 127 men had joined the Houston Chapter of SPEBSQSA, the Houston Tidelanders. The date of our official founding charter was November 11, 1946. At the end of the year, there were over 200 members.

As observed by W.H. Anderson on the night of the initial meeting:

To have some part in the creation of music, as well as to listen to it, is a stimulating experience. The rare pleasure that comes with the completion of a beautiful four-part harmony chord is a sensation comparable to no other experience. One must be a participant to understand this peculiar type of ecstasy. Singing in a good barbershop quartet, or chorus, will produce this spine-tingling thrill.

O. C. Cash, a genial gentleman of Tulsa, Oklahoma, recognized the need for a society ‘where men from all walks of life could meet in peaceable assembly for the enjoyment of the last remaining vestige of human liberty’ and organized the Society in 1938. ‘Having been a member of that organization from the early days of its inception, I became thoroughly interested in the movement.’

In March of 1946, the company for which I work chose to transfer me from Tulsa to Houston. It, naturally, was a big disappointment not to find a chapter of SPEBSQSA here. Anxious to bring to a now group of men the benefits of good fellowship and broader acquaintance, a movement was started to organize a chapter in Houston. During the exchange of correspondence with Carroll P. Adams, the International Secretary of SPEBSQSA, I learned that Walter R. Jenkins, official song leader for Rotary International at their conventions and Director of music for the First Methodist Church of Houston, might be influential in helping to start a chapter. It took three conferences with Mr. Jenkins to sell him on the idea and when he said: "I believe we can do it!"

Things started to happen fast. A preliminary meeting was held in his office the latter part of September, 1946. There were about 25 in attendance, and the idea went over so well that it was decided to call an organizational meeting on October 7, 1946. It was at this preliminary meeting that the RANGERS quartet (Kline, Deaton, Boggs, and yours truly) met for the first time and became the chapter’s first quartet.

Arrangements were made to hold the meeting in the Sam Houston Room of the Rice Hotel. Newspapers and radio stations helped publicize the idea with the result that some 150 to 200 men came to see what it was all about. The place was swarming with reporters and cameramen and, out of those assembled there, 92 men paid the $5.00 membership fee, that night. The enthusiasm was so great that it was decided to hold the charter membership open until October 21st, the time set for the next meeting. When the meeting of October 21st closed, we had 127 paid-up charter members. From there, we went on to more than 220 members by the end of our first year.

Thus it was, that the idea which has brought to so many, much genuine amusement, amazement, and enjoyment – as was fellowship with the grandest gang of guys in the world, reached maturity in an organized chapter for that wonderful, metropolitan city of the South, Houston, Texas.

Music Directors
Over the course of its existence, the chorus has been led by many music directors. A committee of four Men shared the responsibilities for directing the chorus in the mid to late 1950's: Bliss Mapes, Theodore (T.C.) Blackstone, Walter Jenkins, and Edward Acton. Phil Winston directed until 1957. V.L. Hooper began directing the chorus in the late 1950's. In 1967, Connie Keil became the Director, replacing V. L. Hooper, who left for business reasons. After Connie Keil’s company transferred him, John Devine replaced Connie as Director in 1969. Mike McCord then became Director. In 1980 the Tidelanders were under the direction of Jim Sikorski. John Devine again directed 1981-1988. Rick Serpico became Director and led the Tidelanders from 1988 through 1991. In 1992, Tracy Shirk agreed to serve as Interim Director until a new Director could be found. In 1993, Betty Tracy was hired to Direct the chorus when Society rules did not permit women to serve in that role. Several Tidelanders helped influence a change in the rules to allow female Directors Musical Directors. Tracy Shirk became the Director from 1996 - 2001. Todd Wilson replaced Tracy from 2001-2003. Roy Prichard became Director from 2003-2008. Jeff Delman become the musical director in 2008 but resigned in 2009. Ben May became the Tidelanders director in 2018.

Contest Placements
SWD Contest Wins & Placements

Community Outreach
The Houston Tidelanders have sung at the Heroes at Home Gold Tournament supporting the Green Beret Foundation. The Tidelanders have also performed benefits for Fort Bend Family Promise Fort Bend ISD Men's Night and the Needville High School Choir.

The Tidelanders started a Youth In Harmony program that serves Houston area High Schools. The High School A Cappella Tag Contest had it's inaugural competition in 2022.

Recordings

 * On Our Way - year?
 * Celebrate - year?
 * Steppin' Out - year?
 * It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - year?
 * On With the Show - year?