Sweet Adelines International 75th Jubilee Commemorative Album

Floyd “Pop” Connett Floyd “Pop” Connett provided an extensive and lasting educational foundation for Sweet Adelines in its formative years. He coached such champion quartets as the Junior Misses, Big Four, Mississippi Misses, and Lyrics. He also directed the Belles of Harmony Chorus in Peoria, Illinois (USA). His station wagon, named “Addie,” filled with educational materials, was a familiar sight wherever barbershoppers, male and female, gathered to sing. In just two years, he put more than 100,000 miles on his car. And in “real life,” he was actually a barber and often cut quartet members’ hair. Floyd Connett became Sweet Adelines’ first education director in 1961.

“Floyd was not only our coach,” remembered Ann Cone Kriesant Reid, tenor of the 1959 5th place medalist quartet, the Caper Cutters, “but he also was the arranger of most of our music. Most of his arrangements were not on paper, but taught to us by rote. How I regret that we can’t pull some of those beauties out of our archives today and sing them.” “He spread his love of barbershop everywhere he went and created a desire in musicians to excel and gain even more knowledge in this special art form,” commented Marge Bailey, International President (1995-1996).

The Junior Misses, 1956 Queens of Harmony. Left to right, Christine Coe Hoe (bass), Helen Melzer Peters (baritone), Katie Burnette Durbin (lead) and Sue Brown Lucas (tenor). Entered in the 1955 contest was a quartet of vivacious young ladies — two aged 15, one 16, and one 18 — named the Junior Misses. They placed second to the Nota- Belles and since they had competed prior to a minimum age rule being enacted, were allowed to enter the 1956 competition in Wichita, Kansas (USA). The bright-eyed girls were the youngest ever to win the international championship.

Belles of Harmony Chorus of Peoria, Illinois (USA), directed by Floyd "Pop" Connett

Floyd “Pop” Connett

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