Ringing the Chords
CRANBERRY TWP — The Greater Cranberry Men's Choir known as the Bogmeisters and the adjoining quartet called Sharp Edge will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" July 19 before a Pittsburgh Pirates home game. The singers also will perform "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch.
Charter member Jim Sams, 60, who is the head of membership and sings bass, said the choir was established 2½ years ago and consists of 22 members, with seven prospective members.
Sams explained the choir sings in the barbershop style, with "major chords that are fun to listen to and pleasing to the ears."
Sams said the barbershop version of the song is easier to sing, since multiple singers take part in achieving the song's expansive range.
"With the 'Star-Spangled Banner,'" Sams said, "it has such a large range that it's difficult to sing. The way (it) is written in barbershop, it goes from bass to lead depending on where you are in the song. We had an advantage of singing as a quartet because we were singing in our own range."
He said the choir and quartet didn't have to audition again this year because the Pirates Special Events staff remembered them from last year.
"A big part of the music is learning how to sing better and ringing the chords," Sams said. "It's all about the music."
Susan Nist, 54, is the director of the choir and sings tenor in the quartet. She said her goal for the choir is to sing well, have fun and grow — both musically and through membership.
"That's the part I'm in charge of: sing well," she said. "If I don't make them sing well, they won't. You just have to be able to carry a tune and I can go from there. If you can carry a tune, I can help you."
"She has an excellent ear and the three of us (in the quartet) benefit," Sams said. "We're better because she's there."
He said the choir recently became a charter chapter in the Harmony Barbershop Society and is one of 600 chapters in the country.
Sams said the choir performs "as often as people ask" and is usually paid around $200 for each performance.
"When we sing well, people's eyes lighten up and they enjoy what we're doing. They listen more attentively and you can watch the audience smile because they enjoy the harmony our music brings," he said.
Sams explained the choir created its name from Cranberry Township's history.
"When we started, we wanted to let everyone know in Cranberry, which is a growing area, that we wanted to be known as the Greater Cranberry Men's Choir," he said with a grin.
"Cranberries grow in bogs, Cranberry started as a German community and meister means master. So, we wanted to be the masters of the bog."
Sams said members range between 35 and 80 years old.
"We have such a wide range of backgrounds, but the important thing that brings us together is the music," he said.
"The fellas who are attracted to us are of very good characters and you look forward to coming to practice, not just for the music but to see your friends."
