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A Capella Fellas

(Formerly Memory Men Chorus)

Live Music makes every event special!

Whether singing the National Anthem

or a complete program

or anything in between.

Click on "Contact Us" via email

or leave a message

at 325-676-7464

PROGRAMS ARE 15 TO 45 MINUTES

IN LENGTH

The A Capella Fellas is an all-male chorus located in Abilene, Texas. We sing traditional and modern 4-part a cappella close harmony music.

There is hardly any style or type of music that sounds more inspiring or moving than male’s voices singing in harmony. We sing, gospel, patriotic, traditional and modern harmonies. Our membership is also members of a larger group of singers called Vocal Connection which is a group of 65 men who also love the art of a cappella harmony singing.

If you are interested in singing or learning to sing a cappella harmony with a male chorus, we are currently auditioning male singers between the ages of 12 and 90! If you love to sing but can't read music, don't worry, our chorus is made up of experienced individuals who are always ready to teach. Come give us a test drive--drop in visitors are welcomed.

We meet on Monday evenings at 7 PM at 302 Hickory, University Place at First Baptist Chrch, Abilene, TX 79603

What is a cappella harmony singing?

A cappella (Italian for "in the manner of the church" or "in the manner of the chapel") music is specifically solo or group singing without assistance from instrumental accompaniment or a piece written to be performed in this style. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between music of the Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style.

In the 19th century a renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony coupled with an ignorance of the fact that vocal parts were often doubled by instrumentalists led to the term coming to mean unaccompanied vocal music. In modern usage, a cappella often refers to an all-vocal group performance of any style, including barbershop, doo wop, and modern pop/rock. Today, a cappella also includes sample/loop "vocal only" productions.

A cappella music originally was, and still often is, used in religious music, especially the church music style known as southern gospel. In Eastern Europe, the music performed in the Eastern Orthodox cathedrals and monasteries is exclusively sung without music. There are several present-day Christian religious bodies known for conducting their worship services without musical accompaniment.

Barbershop harmony music is one of the few uniquely American art forms. The earliest reports of this style of a cappella music involved African Americans. The earliest documented quartets all began in barbershops. In 1938, the first formal men's barbershop organization was formed, known as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A), and in 2004 rebranded itself and officially changed its public name to the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Today the BHS has over 35,000 members in 800 chapters across the United States, and the barbershop style has spread around the world with organizations in many other countries. The Barbershop Harmony Society provides a highly organized competition structure for a cappella quartets and choruses singing in the barbershop style. The Memory Men are members of this society.

This musical form continues to evolve and change as many different age groups have shown an interest in this great musical style.

Ringing the Chord

Most harmony songs are written with predominant chords, with each being formed by one of the four sung parts, tenor (highest, harmony part), lead (second highest, melody part), baritone (second lowest, harmony part) and bass (lowest, melody part).

Most critical to any performance of harmony music is the correct pitch placement of all four parts, otherwise, the predominant "ringing" tonal buzz and lift created by such sounds is often not fully realized. The “ringing of the chord” is one of goals of singing this style of music. This quality is produced when the chord is produced correctly when all four parts are in correct tune. It is the blending of the four parts that produces a tonal quality of harmonics that “rings” and can be heard as an overtone. Achieving this quality of sound places smiles on the faces of all who sing it and hear it.

Those who sing harmony music often praise the lightness of sound, the relative ease of learning the songs, and the camaraderie and sense of family while being a member of such organizations. Many of our members have been singing in these organizations for as many as 50 or 60 years while others have just begun making it possible to sing and participate in such organizations from youth until old age. Our youngest member is 18 and the oldest is in his 80's.

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REHEARSALS MONDAY EVENINGS

7:00 pm

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

University Place

302 Hickory

(corner of North Third and Hickory)

Abilene, TX 79603

Call: 325-676-7464

For membership information

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IN MEMORY OF ONE OF OUR OWN

Chuck Weeth was a longtime member of the Memory Men Chorus. He was faithful and worked diligenlty to master the art of singing in harmony.

Charles "Chuck" Frederick Weeth died 06/28/2018 at 6:23 AM as the result of an auto accident 06/10/2018. He was born to Dorothy and Harold Weeth 01/27/1930 in Scottsbluff NE. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1948. He attended University of Nebraska and the University of Houston, but did not graduate. He married his high school sweetheart Betty Ruth May in 1950. He was known by many as Mr. Sanders due to his ownership of Sanders Bookstore in the Westgate Mall in Abilene TX. He loved singing and was a 50+ year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and the Memory Men Chorus of Abilener. He is survived by his wife Betty, his daughter Janet, his son George, his sister Emily, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was proceeded in death by his father Harold, his mother Dorothy, his step-father Jack, and his sister Mirian and his step-sister Norma. No services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Abilene Public Library, or your favorite charity.

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Just click on "CONTACT US" and get more information

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A CAPELLA FELLAS SING AT

ABILENE HIGH HOME COMING GAME

The A Capella Fellas sang "God Bless America" at the end

of the 3rd quarter of the Abilene High School Home Coming

game on September 19th. The audience erupted into great

applause and cheers suggesting they liked our sound. We

were pleased to be asked to do this.

A Capella Fellas on the Jumbotron at Abilene High game singing.

A Capella Fellas on the field singing at Abilene High game

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Some of the members of The A Capella Fellas

were invited to sing for the Abilene Kiwanis Club

Here is a sample of one of the songs they sang.

Bury Me Out on the Lone_Prairie

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Saying thank you to a lady who helped the group

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The A Capella Fellas ARE BUSY ALL YEAR AROUND

Sam Carter (former director) directing the A Capella Fellas in front of the Texas Star Trading Co.. The group sang for the City Sidewalks parade.

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The A Capella Fellas have been singing the "The Star Spangled Banner" a lot lately at ballgames and public civic events. First, they started singing at the Cooper High School basketball games and also have been singing at the Abilene High School baseball games. If you need a group to sing the national anthem at your event, contact us and we will see if we are available.

The A Capella Fellas singing the Star Spangled Banner

at the opening of the Abilene City Council meeting.

The A Capella Fellas Singing the

"Star Spangled Banner"

at the Abilene High baseball game.

Listen to them sing the National Anthem here:

National_Anthem - The Star Spangled Banner

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Our very own Luke Burnam was a recent finalist in the solo division in Abilene Idol compettion held at the Paramount Theatre. We are pleased that Luke has joined our group singing baritone. To hear him sing during his solo competition, click on the video below.