Thanks FWD!

Realtime just got back from coaching quartets at the Far Western District Harmony College, in Redlands, CA. Thanks FWD for having us there - we had a great time! I hope we were able to give back to your quartets just a little bit of what we have received from the BHS over the years.

Nice little writeup in the local paper.

Rich Hasty's celebration of life was unforgettable, but that's another story entirely!

Rest In Peace Rich Hasty

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of our good friend Rich Hasty, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep on Monday, July 14th.

Rich was a big part of our lives. He directed the Greater Vancouver Gentlemen of Fortune chorus for three years, and in the process he taught me a great deal about music and about life. He was in a sense larger than life. During that period, Rich was on everyone's mind in the barbershop community here, perhaps more than anyone else. He was always getting things done and always making waves, and he made our lives more interesting and more worth discussing while he was around.

I remember being Rich's Assistant Director in the GOF, and working closely with him for several years. I remember singing tags with him nearly every week after rehearsal.

Rich was a good friend to Realtime, arranging several charts for us. One was Anthem, which we recorded in 2004 on the Four Brothers album. When we sang it for him in person for the first time at the Louisville convention in 2004, we asked him how he liked it. He said it was "champion stuff", and that praise meant more to me than I let on.

Rich Hasty's time here was too short. He had a lot left to contribute to his wife Kristen, his kids Matthew and Abigail, to the Barbershop community, and the world. He was 41.

Comments on Westminster Intro

The men of Westminster were kind enough to record a video for our introduction on the AIC show, and since we had a bit of spare time, we decided to send it back with a few comments (click for video). Love you guys!

Nashville Convention Stuff

Realtime is back from the annual must-not-be-missed BHS convention, which was held this year in beautiful Nashville, Tennessee. For most people, this was their first taste of the new configuration with Doug Broersma on lead, and we got a ton of great comments about how well he fits in, and how his general studliness has added something new and wonderful to the group. Thanks everyone for the kind words!

Congratulations to our buddies in OC Times who came away with the quartet gold this year, and joined us in the ranks of the Association of International Champions. Congrats also to the Masters of Harmony for the chorus win, and the really amazing Swedish group "Ringmasters" who came out of nowhere to win the College championship. Can't wait to visit Stockholm again and see more of these guys!

Realtime had lots of great performances while in Nashville, but the highlight of the week was probably singing Rocky Top on the Grand Ol' Opry stage, and being broadcasted to 40 states on the AM dial. The live audience went crazy!! Cars were overturned. Some great pictures of this event will be in the gallery, which we're putting together right now. Stay tuned.

Another big hit was the AIC show, where we sang with the other active past champs and the mighty AIC chorus. We sang "Drinkin' Gourd" on that show and we've received no end of comments from people asking where the tune came from, and saying how much they enjoyed it. That will be on our third album for sure, which is in the works now, and planned for release next year at the convention in Anaheim.

Coolest thing we saw all week was probably our friends from The Real Group, who headlined the Harmony Foundation show. They just keep getting more amazing.

Thanks all you barbershoppers for a wonderful week! Keep singin'.

Realtime