TRAVERSE CITY — The five senses celebrate Valentine’s Day like no other.
Every Feb. 14, this international day of hugs and hand-holding, of youngsters trading witty cards and old folks trading meaningful embraces, takes hostage of our sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing.
Sight: Aged lovers, in the sunset of their lives, walking hand-in-hand;
Taste: Chocolate hearts packaged neatly in heart-shaped boxes;
Smell: The aroma of roses — or other flowers of the heart — given as a token of expressed love;
Touch: Lips, softly pressed against each other, sealing promises made to each other;
Hearing: Well, that has to be the Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus doing their Valentine’s thing.
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Cherry Capital Chorus will have three tuxedo-clad quartets performing at businesses, restaurants, personal residences and more throughout the greater Traverse City region, said Doug Powers, executive vice president of the Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus and lead singer for the Northern Exposure Quartet.
The Singing Valentines package includes two love songs sung in four-part harmony, the presentation of a long-stemmed rose and a personalized love note from the sender for $50.
Powers said businesses wanting to send a special “thank you” message to their employees can get a customized package with additional songs and roses for each member of their organization.
“The quartets sing anything from standards like ‘Heart Of My Heart’ or ‘My Wild Irish Rose,’ to more contemporary songs like ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight,’” he said.
Powers added that in addition to the in-person deliveries, the company offers a Virtual Singing Valentines option with the quartet singing via FaceTime to college students, service members, or anyone outside of the delivery area for $25.
Powers, 68, is a semi-retired advertising creative director who has worked with major Fortune 500 clients including Cadillac, Pontiac, General Motors Parts, Cummins, International Trucks, as well as newspapers, banks, hospitals and more.
He also has been a “barbershopper” since 2009, initially with the seven-time gold medal winning Thoroughbred Chorus in Louisville, KY and the last two years with the Cherry Capital Men’s in Traverse City, which originated in 1966 and has had as many as 75 members over the years ranging in numbers from 14 to 84.
“Currently the Men’s Chorus is in a rebuilding mode with a core group of 17 active singers, mostly from the Grand Traverse region with one member making the trek weekly from East Jordan,” said Powers. “Guys who love to sing, or would like to learn how, are encouraged to come to rehearsal on Tuesday nights at the Presbyterian Church.”
That church is located at 701 Westminster Road in downtown Traverse City.
The Chorus’ goal for 2023 is to perform at least once a month at public events, ranging from charity performances at retirement homes, to singing the national anthem at Pit Spitters games, said Powers.
“Traditionally, the chorus performs at least one major concert per year, but that hasn’t happened the last two years due to COVID.”
Powers said the CCMC is part of the Pioneer District of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), which is one of the largest a capella singing organizations anywhere with global membership. An organization dedicated to promoting this unique style of singing that originated in the United States, the BHS has been promoting Singing Valentines for decades.
“It is a fundraising event that simultaneously gives our quartets the opportunity to thrill recipients in an up close and personal way that brings both smiles and tears from person being serenaded — often simultaneously.”
Founded in 1938, Powers said the Barbershop Harmony Society currently has 22,000 singing members worldwide, with 1,200 registered quartets and an estimated 1,000 more that aren’t registered.
“Its mission is to ‘bring people together in harmony and fellowship to enrich lives through singing,’” he said. “The barbershop style of music is uniquely American close harmony, with roots in African American improvisation and European harmony traditions. Many popular performers including Louis Armstrong, Gordon Lightfoot, Andy Williams and Donny Osmond perfected their harmonic chops with barbershop quartets. Today, Dick Van Dyke sings with the Vantastix barbershop quartet, while Jimmy Fallon lampoons other musical genres by performing them in the barbershop style.”
Powers said those wanting to order a Singing Valentine can call 231-486.5287, or send an email to Valentines@CherryCapitalChorus.org.
Additional information about singing with, or sponsoring the Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus, is online at www.cherrycapitalchorus.org.