Do you love the sound of a barbershop quartet? If so, you are going to love today’s celebration. This is National Barbershop Quartet Day. Barbershop quartets are defined as a group of four singers where the “emphasis is on close, carefully arranged harmony, synchronization of word sounds, and the use of such devices as variation of tempo, volume level, diction, colour, and phrasing. Phrases are often repeated for echo effect, and musical arrangements usually employ syncopated ragtime and other nostalgic song styles. In all-male groups the voice parts are tenor (here equivalent to a countertenor), lead (second) tenor, baritone, and bass, with the lead normally singing the melody and the tenor harmonizing above.”1 Performances are often interlaced with comedy and choreography.
From 1900 to about 1920, barbershop quartet music had quite a following. However, its popularity dwindled and didn’t surge again for almost 20 years. “The birthday of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America is April 11, 1938, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded by Rupert I. Hall and Owen Clifton Cash, prospective members were not even required to be able to sing. According to an article in a June 13, 1938, issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cash was quoted as saying, “All we ask is just that said prospective member THINK he can sing.”2
Today, barbershop quartet groups compete throughout the year. The reigning international champion from 2025 is a group called Lemon Squeezy. Other groups that were winners in the competition were Gimme Four, First Take, The Newfangled Four, and Sunday Night Social. Each group has their special blend and routines that make you smile, laugh, and tap your foot.
Music is a wonderful gift given to us by God. The first mention in Scripture takes us to Genesis 4:21 where we learn, “And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.” The first mention of singing doesn’t occur until Exodus 15. Known as Moses’ Song, it was a time of jubilation among the Israelites. They
had just miraculously watched the Red Sea part for them and collapse on the Egyptian army. Exodus 15:1 says, “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
Singing is an integral part of the Israelite’s lives. The Psalms are the musical book of the Bible. You could think of it as a hymnal because each Psalm would have been put to music, therefore you would have sung the Psalm.
The New Testament has several verses related to singing. The first New Testament mention of singing occurs after the Lord’s Table had been instituted. Matthew 26:30 says, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives,” a practice we continue to this day.
We know that Paul and Silas sang praises at midnight to the Lord while held in the prison stocks. (Acts 16)
Singing is a part of our witness. Romans 15:9 says, “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”
Ephesians and Colossians both give us the command to sing. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Many other verses can be found throughout the Old and New Testaments that encourage us to sing as an expression of our love, devotion, and worship of the Lord. About half of our church service tomorrow will focus on us worshiping in song. Are you ready? Do you look forward to singing the songs of the saints? Do we sing to an audience of One – our Heavenly Father?
Let’s sing at church tomorrow like we are participants in the last time singing is mentioned in the Bible. Revelation 15:1-3 says, “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. (2) And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (3) And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
1https://www.britannica.com/art/a-cappella
2https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-barbershop-quartet-day-april-11
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