--- title: Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys | TIME description: Inspired by Glee, The Sing Off and American Idol, younger singers are adding their voices to the unique a cappella sound of Barbershop harmony canonical: https://time.com/video/oZdtyORE/ og:title: Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys og:description: Inspired by Glee, The Sing Off and American Idol, younger singers are adding their voices to the unique a cappella sound of Barbershop harmony og:url: https://time.com/video/oZdtyORE/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/oZdtyORE/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys twitter:description: Inspired by Glee, The Sing Off and American Idol, younger singers are adding their voices to the unique a cappella sound of Barbershop harmony twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/oZdtyORE/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys [Watch (HLS stream): Barbershop: The Original Glee for Guys](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/oZdtyORE.m3u8) (9:47)  _Published 2011-04-13. Inspired by Glee, The Sing Off and American Idol, younger singers are adding their voices to the unique a cappella sound of Barbershop harmony_ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:12 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Glee 6x01 Promo feat. "Let It Go"](/video/S0Qu5yEm/) ### Glee 6x01 Promo feat. "Let It Go" [Chris Colfer Talks Glee, Bullying and Being Yourself](/video/vdTZx2yX/) ### Chris Colfer Talks Glee, Bullying and Being Yourself [Gleeks: Glee Fans Make Music of Their Own](/video/JD41xL5b/) ### Gleeks: _Glee_ Fans Make Music of Their Own --- ## Transcript >> Friday morning in a hotel ballroom in Philadelphia, 6 dozen members of the Chorus of the Chesapeake gets some final rehearsal and warm- up time before a big event. >> There's a fellow over here. We just need to clean up your excitement a little bit. All the way so is all appears right. You can't have that voice. Let's go ahead and get the-- here's the intro again. >> They're putting some finishing touches on 2 songs. >> It's a chance to polish the dance moves and put on a smile that can be seen from the last row of the Philly Convention Center. >> If you're smiling and your face is involved hopefully you're emotionally involved in the song as well. >> Yes. See I want-- >> These gentlemen are here to compete with 26 other choruses from across America as well as Canada and Britain at the Barbershop Harmony Society's annual convention and contest. >> I think sometimes there's an intimidation factor too like people hear it and they think it's harder than it really is. >> Many of the choruses in the contest hold auditions and have a rigorous rehearsal schedule, but this chorus from Dundalk, Maryland prides itself on being all- inclusive. Anybody who wants to sing can join. >> Just to do it is not as hard as people think in my opinion. I hear people come up to me sometimes and they're like oh, I'm not a singer or whatever and especially in the Dundalk Chapter, my own response is neither are we. >> Good. >> Still the chorus is known for its musicianship and for putting on a great show. And for many members like Rob See the chorus is about a lot more than the tunes. >> It's not just about the singing. It's about these guys that we go into battle with in all these contests and just the brotherhood of it all. >> A brotherhood built on harmony, the Dundalk Chapter is one of about 800 choruses around the world mostly made up of men who are old enough to remember when Norman Rockwell was still painting the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, but there's a new generation here. Like other fraternal organizations fathers get their sons involved. During a break in rehearsal I ask the fathers and sons in this chorus to step forward. Rob See is actually Rob See V. His son Robert VI is in the chorus and his grandfather that would be Bob III was a founding member of the chapter. >> My dad and I had a really great relationship before I got involved with this, but I really think that since I've become more involved that I think that our relationship is strengthened by leaps and bounds I mean by the simple fact that we have this great excuse to hang out every week. >> In fact that's how I know about Barbershop. This is my dad. He's been a Barbershopper for nearly 50 years. We spent many a family vacation coming to these conventions including one here in Philadelphia a long time ago. >> Do you remember the last time we were in Philadelphia? >> Yes. >> I think they built this building the last time I was here where the Liberty Bell is, yes. >> We've come to Independence Mall on a sunny Saturday afternoon for what's called the Mega Sing. >> Hello. >> Hello. >> Barbershoppers all know a set of songs and that means anywhere in the world when 4 singers meet they can sing together. >> It's something that you can't explain when your voice is contributing to something where they say that the sum is, you know, greater than all the parts. It's just this feeling that you can't get from anything else. >> There's no sound like it. It's really quite amazing because what happens in Barbershop is the chorus locked together so that their overtones reinforce each other and it produces a sound above the sound of their singing. >> Make sure you get my good side. >> The gentlemen of the Chorus of the Chesapeake make their way a few blocks to the Philly Convention Center. They're warmed up and doing their best to hide the jitters of performing for the judges and a crowd of 8, 000 other Barbershoppers. >> It's pretty exhilarating. It's a little scary at times. You never know when you might, you know, catch your toe on your heel and fall on your face out there in front of everybody. >> Inside the darkened hall is where 4 days of competition will crown this year's champion chorus and quartet. It's clear by the performance on the stage that there's fresh blood pumping into the organization and younger faces are smiling on the risers. >> There's actually a huge youth movement in the society right now. >> One of the 2 top chorus contenders is made up of young men under the age of 30. The Westminster Chorus directed by Justin Miller matched their musicianship with vigorous choreography. >> All right. Let's go. >> Miller says his chorus is part of an infusion of youth within the Barbershop Harmony Society where the average age is about 60 years old. >> There's something going on. I don't know what it is but I love it because you know shows like The Sing- Off, Glee, you know even you know American Idol just singing is hot right now. Just you know everyone wants to do it. >> Glee has been huge. It makes all the kids way more interested in what we do. >> They make Barbershop something that's not old- fashioned and square anymore. It's cool. >> And several of the best quartets here have members in their 20's, two of which placed among the top 5. The arrangements and song choices showed a younger perspective too. This quartet from Sweden sang Michael Jackson's lamenting She's Out of My Life. And the Musical Island Boys from Wellington, New Zealand rcked harmonies in an Elvis number. >> We started singing Barbershop when we're at high school and Barbershop was becoming more and more popular in New Zealand as time goes on. So it is getting a lot of popularity particularly with the youth. >> Barbershop is very much a participation sport and that the greatest kind of buzz you get out of Barbershop is by doing it and by being a part of it. >> Not everyone in the audience who have mostly gray heads appreciates the infusion of modern music in the Barbershop repertoire. I heard a few comments calling the new songs Barbertrash. >> But it looks like the fuddy- duddies are losing out to the majority who embrace change in the name of keeping Barbershop alive. This chorus, The Young Men of Westminster, were named the new world champions. >> There's a spot in Barbershop for everyone. The younger generation and the older generation no matter what you wanna sing about there's a spot for you here. >> The chorus from Dundalk, Maryland placed in the top 20, 18th to be exact. They say it's a respectable showing for the chorus and they're just glad to be here. It's often said among Barbershop singers you come for the singing but stay for the fellowship. >> It's not just about the singing. It's about the content of the character of these gentlemen. >> Fathers and sons, a chorus of best friends. For these guys and thousands of others, a Barbershopper is what you call a pal. 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