If You GoWhat: Show of Champions.When: 7-9 p.m. Saturday.Where: Conn Center, Lee University campus in Cleveland, Tenn.Admission: $30 front orchestra, $20 remainder of floor seats, $10 balconyPhone: 423-479-2553.
The Olympics are over, but local concertgoers can still catch a gold-medal performance this weekend.
Crossroads, the Barbershop Harmony Society’s current international gold-medal quartet, will be featured in Saturday night’s Show of Champions at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.
The quartet is one of four ensembles performing in the a cappella showcase sponsored by the Sound of Tennessee men’s barbershop chorus.
“The entertainment is absolutely wonderful,” said John Thomas, a singer in Sound of Tennessee. “The entire show is a cappella (performing without accompaniment), and it will be very wholesome, very family-oriented.”
The Sound of Tennessee is Cleveland’s 32-voice barbershop chorus. Director Chad Guyton said the Show of Champions had an been an annual event until three years ago when the singers discontinued it while focusing their efforts on a charity Christmas show.
“We are reinstating the Show of Champions and doing both this year,” Guyton said. “We’ll be singing a wide range of styles from traditional barbershop songs like ‘Harmony’ to Elvis to gospel to Billy Joel’s ‘Lullabye.'”
Guyton is one of six brothers who will perform together in the show. In addition to singing together, brothers Chase and Jordan Guyton sing with the Sound of Tennessee, and brother Brandon Guyton is a member of Crossroads.
Thomas points out that Crossroads is unique in that each of the four singers has twice won quartet gold medals; one with other groups, one with Crossroads.
Brandon Guyton is a former member of the Voices of Lee, which also will be onstage Saturday. Voices of Lee is known for its lush harmony and high-energy performances, as shown on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” in December.
“I’m very excited about the content of our show this year,” said Clarence Wall, Sound of Tennessee president.
“Local and national audiences have come to appreciate the quality of performances delivered by Voices of Lee, and their success on ‘The Sing-Off’ gave them broad recognition as well.”
Group ticket prices are offered, but a group representative must call today to get that rate. Call Jim Larkin at 423-479-2553 for that information.