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The Columbia, MO chapter of the:
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A Work In Progress
The Guys (from left to right in the above photo):Greg Grote (Baritone) is from Jefferson City ... he sings Baritone in the chorus and Tenor in the Overtones quartet. (detailed bio) Tarry Koutz (Bass) is the Director of the Boonslick Chordbusters. He sings Bass in the chorus when Tom is directing. (detailed bio) Walter Coplen (Lead) was formerly the Baritone for Dogs Without Leashes. (detailed bio) Tom Palis (Tenor) is the Assistant Director of the chorus, and shifted from Lead to Tenor when Walter joined the quartet in 2008. He sings Lead, Tenor, or Baritone in the chorus (as needed) and formerly sang Tenor with the Dogs Without Leashes quartet. (detailed bio) (return to top)Upcoming ScheduleWe're working on some stuff ... be sure to check back! (return to top)General InfoOur name says it all ... we're having fun, but always looking to get better. We really enjoy singing, and we would love to come sing for your group! Our repertoire includes barbershop classics, spirituals and other religious numbers, ballads, and toe-tapping "up-tunes". Click here to drop us a note to request more information (or just to chat!). Curious about how we got here? Visit the AWIP history page. (return to top)Detailed BiosGreg was the only member of the original quartet who did not have formal musical training (unless one counts piano and organ lessons as a youth) -- but as the Baritone he obviously has the best ear of the group, which more than makes up for his lack of training (I can't believe that they let me leave that statement in!). He moved to Jefferson City, MO in 1999 from South Carolina, where he was singing with a small chapter in Florence. Greg considers himself very lucky to be married to the "ever young and ever lovely Miss Beverly", as a friend from South Carolina refers to her. Their son Geremy lives in KC after earning a Jazz Performance degree from UMKC ... Geremy's wife Margaret recently graduated with degrees in Music Therapy and Psychology. Greg is the Webmaster for the Chordbusters (which makes it easy to ensure that he always looks good on the web site), and Beverly is the group's most prolific photographer. An admitted quartet junky, Greg sings in as many quartets as will have him (or, rather, as many as Beverly will allow to have him!) He works for Wren Solutions in Jefferson City, and enjoys playing golf and making lamps from musical instruments. (return to top)Tarry is an ordained minister teaching in the field of Church Music. He has led worship at two different churches in Columbia and taught for 37 years at a four-year Christian College in Moberly where he and his wife, Poppy, reside. Their daughter Julie and husband Tim have presented them a granddaughter, Emery, and grandson Carson, and they now find they are coming to Columbia more often and staying longer. Their son, Cris, and daughter-in-law, Michelle, live in Ballwin, MO where he teaches music in Middle School and leads worship every Sunday. Tarry and Poppy visit them as often as they can get away because it gives them a chance to take in the culture and shopping of St. Louis while their kids think they are coming to see them. Tarry says he gets his "high" from Poppy (but not the flower!). She is a piano teacher and loving wife and mother. Music brought them together and is keeping them more active than they'd sometimes like. Tarry is frontline director of The Boonslick Chordbusters and has enjoyed every minute of his barbershopping career. (return to top)Walter is the newest member of the quartet, but is no stranger to quartet singing, having sung Baritone with Dogs Without Leashes for eight years. We think you'll really like him as our Lead, but we do let him sing Bari on a few songs, just for fun. He moved to the Columbia area in 1998 from St. Louis, joining the Boonslick Chordbusters that same year having never sung barbershop music before. He and his wife, Alberta, have lived in Missouri since 1992 and love discovering the natural beauty the state has to offer. Walter graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas with a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. He is the President of Coplen Wright and Associates, Christian Counseling Center. Walter has been involved in music in churches most of his life. Either as the music leader, choir member, as a soloist or as a member of a quartet. Walter and Alberta are interested in history and antiquing, they are always ready for a day trip to historical sites or just to antique on the back roads of Missouri and other states. They've lived in Ashland since 2005, and enjoy working in their yard and gardening. (return to top)Tom works in Columbia and lives in nearby Wisconsin . . . okay, we're kidding about that last part . . . he really just lives a few miles NE of Columbia, but sometimes it seems like we're driving all the way to Wisconsin when we travel to his place! Tom earned a Bachelors of Music Education from Southeast Missouri State University and a Masters of Church Music from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taught school vocal music and served as Minister of Music in several local churches. Tom started singing barbershop in 1999 with the Boonslick Chordbusters and was named Assistant Director in 2000. Active in quartet singing, he sang Tenor in Dog without Leashes and Lead in A Work In Progress before moving to Tenor when Walter joined the quartet. (return to top)Some AWIP Photo Links2009 Chordbusters Christmas Show AWIP singing at the 2005 Home Show 2004 Joint Show with Sweet Adelines in Moberly Afterglow following the 2004 Fall Show Afterglow following the 2003 Fall Show (return to top)Photo CreditThe photo at the top of this page was taken by Beverly Grote during the Boonslick Chordbusters' 2009 spring show. |
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