Sweet Adelines International 75th Jubilee Commemorative Album

Where Would We Be Without Our Worldwide Members? Looking Back from 2020

SPOTLIGHT: INTERNATIONAL

Ann Gooch may not have won a big medal or a crown, but she has certainly helped to educate the world in singing good barbershop harmony. — Bron Dixon, The Pitch Pipe, Spring 1977

Reminiscences… The biggest thing looking back is — all of this was done before we had cell phones and directions devices — more time was spent than can be imagined looking for homes and places where we were to meet people. It amounted to stopping strangers on the street and asking, “Do you know…and how to get to her house?” And then trying to interpret and follow directions given. For instance, “Continue down this street until you get to the black house.” After much frustration, we learned that “black house,” meant the house belonging to a family named Black. After a lovely evening around a campfire in South Africa, we awoke the next morning to find that the garden hose rolled up under the window of the room in which we were sleeping was totally in shreds…paw prints revealed the presence during the night of a couple of young lions who had found a new plaything and torn it to pieces as we slept only feet away. Most memorable one liner: I had researched and found the name of a college professor in South Africa who had a girls’ chorus singing Sweet Adelines arrangements. I contacted her and set up a meeting. It was not all that easy to get there. I flew through London into Johannesburg, stopped in Capetown to visit prospective singers there, flew to Port Elizabeth and spent several days with prospective singers there, and then drove to the other side of South Africa to Durban to finally meet this professor. She seemed delighted to meet me and casually asked, “So, what brings you to South Africa?”

It took me a moment to catch my breath and reply, “YOU do!” Where would we be without our worldwide members? Not only their increasing numbers but also their musical excellence, which is raising the bar for all Sweet Adelines. And there is so much world yet to become one with us! The fact that the Harmonize the World Showcase, which was held at our international conventions over a period of nearly 20 years, totally financed the growth effort worldwide is a tribute to our organization’s interest in spreading our music to women everywhere. That means the growth was entirely supported by the members who donated their talent by appearing on the shows or gave their encouragement and financial support by attending the shows. As the person who created, ran, and emceed the shows, I am eternally grateful to the long-term support. I heard my first chord and joined Sweet Adelines at age 23, and this year I will be 83 and receiving my 60-year pin. I am still joyfully directing Jacksonville Harmony Chorus — having never sung in a chorus myself! Thank goodness for the availability of quartet singing. I’m looking forward to even more good times ahead. —Ann Gooch (International President, 1975-1977), writing in 2020

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