Bluegrass Student Union
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Bluegrass Student Union | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Barbershop |
| Years active | 1973–2007 |
| Members | Allen Hatton – tenor Ken Hatton – lead Dan Burgess – baritone Richard Staab – bass |
| Website | Official site |
Bluegrass Student Union is the Louisville, Kentucky barbershop quartet who won the 1978 SPEBSQSA International competition. They distinguished themselves by performing at a high level of proficiency on stage and in the recording studio throughout their 33-year career, and were the second youngest quartet to have won the SPEBSQSA championship, as of that time. The quartet became known for continually improving their art, even after their win. They credited much of their success to their coaches, Mary Jo Hatton Thompson, Don Clause, Ron Riegler, Gene Stickler and Ed Weber, to their chorus Director, Jim Miller, and to their long-time arrangers, Ed Waesche and Walter Latzko.[citation needed]
Bluegrass Student Union's members were Allen Hatton (tenor), Ken Hatton (lead), Dan Burgess (baritone), and Rick Staab (bass).
Allen Hatton later sang tenor with the original version of the Second Edition quartet to win the Cardinal District Quartet Championship for his second time, in 1986.
Ken Hatton later sang lead with the 2000 Cardinal District Champion SENSATIONS quartet, who earned semi-finalist status (20th place) in the 2001 International Quartet Competition. Ken also sang lead with The Exchange, semi-finalist (20th place) in the 2003 International Quartet Competition of SPEBSQSA, Inc. Ken's other appearances in the International Quartet Competition include: 2004 -- 23rd Place -- The Exchange (lead) 2011 -- 43rd Place -- The Daddy-Ohs! (Baritone)
The quartet took a hiatus starting in 1992, then reunited to do occasional shows starting in 1999. They permanently retired in December of 2006, although the four friends hold an annual reunion.
The quartet was inducted into the Cardinal District Hall of Fame in 2005. The quartet was inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society Hall of Fame in 2012.
In barbershop circles, many consider Bluegrass Student Union to be one of the greatest barbershop quartets of all time thanks to their well-crafted recordings and highly entertaining package shows that continued to draw large crowds throughout their career.[citation needed]
Discography
- After Class LP/Cassette no longer available
- The Older the Better LP/Cassette no longer available
- Music Man LP/Cassette no longer available
- Jukebox Saturday Night LP/CassetteCD no longer available
- Here to Stay CD/Cassette no longer available
- Legacy 3-CD Set no longer available
- Commencement DVD-CD Set still available
Bluegrass Student Union; Volumes 1 through 6 (digital recordings) are available from iTunes and CDBaby.com
See also
- Barbershop music
- Ambassadors of Harmony
- Barbershop Harmony Society
- List of quartet champions by year
External links
- Official website
- Discography and biography from Primarily A Cappella
- AIC entry
- Bluegrass Student Union discography at Discogs
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