The Rose City Timberliners Chorus represents the Greater Portland Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, formerly know as SPEBSQSA (The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc.).
We perform in senior centers, parks and community events around the Portland metro area about 30 times a year. We sing at Christmas, Veteran’s Day and other seasonal events. Chapter quartets also perform numerous paid “Singing Valentines” each year.
Our chorus is directed by Mr. Gary Shannon. He encourages each of us, whatever our abilities, to sing our best. You may have read that medical studies have shown that singing is beneficial for both mental and physical health. Come to a few of our rehearsals and you will believe it.
It is the mission of the Greater Portland Chapter/Rose City Timberliners Chorus, a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, to share and encourage the joy of singing four-part harmony through continual skill building, performance and community service.
Our History
We are the longest running chapter in the Evergreen District. According to our District historian, the very first chapter in our area was the Seattle Star – KIRO chapter founded in 1940, but it disbanded with the beginning of World War II.
After the war, in 1946 and 1947, six chapters were formed in the Northwest. Portland was the second of those six to be chartered, and that was on the date of July 14th, 1946. The Port Angeles chapter was chartered the month before, but would fold after about 5 years.
In November 1947 at the old Portland Hotel, which is now Pioneer Square, these six chapters broke off from the Far West District to form the Northwest District which was later renamed the Evergreen District.
The original name of our chapter chorus was The Sunset Chorus. A “sunset chorus” is the singing of frogs and birds around sunset, the opposite end of the day from the “dawn chorus.” For reasons not explained in any existing material, the chorus changed it’s name in the late 70’s to “The Rose City Close Harmony Music Men” or RC2H2M2. Presumably the humor was similar to that of OC Cash when he called our Society SPEBSQSA.
The Portland Chapter merged with the Mt. Hood Timberliners to become the Rose City Timberliners in 1996.
We have seen a lot of changes over the years. If you have any history to add, please contact us.
Our Roster
Director: Gary Shannon
Tenors: Sam Boot, Don Petersen
Leads: Jay Bateman, Grant Gibson, Norm Lawson, Steve Kraft, Mark McKenzie, Gene Meyer, Paul Millius, Val Zallee
Baritones: Richard Crockett, Ken Dewire, John Meeker
Basses: Bill Higham, Aaron Weller
Our Board of Directors
President: Sam Boot
Secretary/Treasurer: Richard Crockett
VP of Marketing and Public Relations: Norm Lawson
Directors at Large: Don Petersen, Aaron Weller
Music Director: Gary Shannon
Contact Us
care of Richard Crockett,
Rose City Timberliners
2214 NE 51st Ave,
Portland Oregon 97213
phone 503-819-2776
email info@timberliners.