RER
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"Democracy & Freedom"
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Post by RER on Oct 26, 2006 13:54:16 GMT -5
Columbus Donald "Don" Barbour & The Four Freshman" Graduated Columbus High School 1945 (See 1945 Log)Donald was a native of Columbus Indiana and a member of the original vocal group The Four Freshman. The group started in 1948 in Indianapolis. Don Barbour was born in 1927 and died in a Los Angles car accident in 1961 at the age of 44. He is buried at Garland Brook Cemetery in Columbus Indiana. Bob
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RER
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"Democracy & Freedom"
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Post by RER on Oct 27, 2006 13:18:33 GMT -5
"Don & Ross Barbour Were Brothers & Both Part of Singing Group The Four Freshman"He Graduated Columbus High School 1946 (See Log) Ross Barbour and Brother Don where raised in Columbus Indiana. They were the original founders of the singing group called The Four Freshman. The group has been popular since the 1950s. The Four Freshman group of today is not the orginal group. They were inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001The following is part of the information about the group written by Jay Warner. Quote: The Four Freshman (Inducted In Hall of Fame 2001) "The Four Freshmen were the most innovative and imitated jazz vocal quartet ever to grace vinyl. Innovative because of their unique concept of singing “open” harmony, moving the third and fifth notes of a chord an octave higher or lower, or using ninths and elevenths while dropping root notes of a chord. Emulated because every type of artist heart something fresh and exciting in their sound not only jazz groups, but acts as diverse as THE HARPTONES in the 50's, THE BEACH BOYS of the 60's, and THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER in the 70's heard a redefinition of harmony that stirred their own imaginations. That doesn’t count THE HI-LOS, THE HILLTOPPERS, THE LETTERMEN, SPANKY AND OUR GANG, and THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS. The group started out as Hal’s Harmonizers, with brothers Don and Ross Barbour, Hal Kratzsch, and Marvin Pruitt. All four members were students in 1947 at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music, a division of Butler University in Indianapolis. Hal convinced his music theory classmates that forming a barbershop quartet would be a great source of income. Hal, from Warsaw, Indiana, sang and played bass as well as trumpet and mellophone. Don and Ross were raised in Columbus, Indiana; Don sang second tenor and played guitar while his younger brother Ross sang baritone and played trumpet. The top voice was Marvin’s. Decked out in Gay ‘90s apparel (armbands, exaggerated false moustaches, and waiters’ aprons) the quartet began singing “Sweet Adeline” at fairs and conventions until they became bored with the confinement of barbershop chords. Not wanting to give up the income base they became a second group, the Toppers." End Quote Go here to read the whole story: www.vghf.com/inductees/the_four_freshman.html
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Gregg
HCI Forum Board Member
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Post by Gregg on Oct 27, 2006 15:54:54 GMT -5
Weren't Don and Ross actually raised in or near Azalea?
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RER
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"Democracy & Freedom"
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Post by RER on Oct 27, 2006 19:12:41 GMT -5
UPDATE: Don was one year older than brother Ross Barbour. Don Barbour graduated from Columbus High School 1945 (See Log) and brother Ross Barbour graduated from Columbus High School 1946 (See Log)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Gregg
All the things I have read leads to the claim of Columbus. Azalia may be true and I don't know, but it is still Bartholomew County and almost Columbus. I guess if I had been a famous singer I would have probably said Columbus.
Maybe, someone else knows that answer. Another questions comes up. Is brother Ross Barbour still living ? I do know that Don Barbour is buried like I posted in Garland Brook Cemetery. Maybe, Don and Ross's parents or family members are buried there also. Anyone know ?
Quote from American The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: "Don and Ross were raised in Columbus, Indiana."
Bob
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Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
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Post by Babs on Nov 5, 2006 15:59:45 GMT -5
Re: Whether the Barbour boys were raised in Columbus, Azalia or Elizabethtown, most likely they claimed Columbus. (We lived in Florida for many years and although our mailing address was Longwood, we always just told people we lived outside Orlando. They at least knew where Orlando and Disney World was! It was easier to just say Orlando than to say we have a mailing address of Longwood, but truthfully live closer to Forest City or Altamonte Springs. That just would get too complicated and simply stating we lived in a bedroom community North and West of Orlando was much easier to explain.) So possibly the Barbours said Columbus since they did attend school here and anyhow, who would want to claim Azalia or Elizabethtown when they could say "Columbus"? (Just joking here folks! So lighten up, will ya? :-)
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jdhinkle
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LITTLE HINK
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Post by jdhinkle on Jan 29, 2008 20:57:55 GMT -5
IM NOT SURE WHERE IT STANDS NOW BUT I KNOW CECIL COONS HAD A FABULOUS COLLECTION OF THE FRESHMENS RECORDS HE MADE ME A CASSETTE OF THE SONG 'SWEET LORRAINE' WHICH ROSS DID IN HIS LEROY VOICE IM PRETTY SURE BOB FLANIGAN IS A COUSIN HE WAS FROM GREENCASTLE
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jdhinkle
HCI Forum Board Member
LITTLE HINK
Posts: 330
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Post by jdhinkle on Jan 29, 2008 21:01:22 GMT -5
A SIDE NOTE WE USED TO GET A CHRISTMAS CARD FROM SUE ROSS AND THE LITTLE SHAVERS
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jdhinkle
HCI Forum Board Member
LITTLE HINK
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Post by jdhinkle on Feb 2, 2008 17:34:56 GMT -5
SINCE I READ THESE I LOOKED UP SOME INFO IN ROSS'S BOOK 'NOW YOU KNOW' THEY WERE 20 MONTHS AGE DIFFERENT AND ROSS REFERRED TO HOME IN THE BOOK AS RR 3 COLUMBUS I THINK DON WAS ONLY 34 WHEN HE DIED ROSS SAYS DON WAS WORKING ON RELEASING A SINGLE ABOUT THE TIME HE DIED IN THAT ACCIDENT
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jdhinkle
HCI Forum Board Member
LITTLE HINK
Posts: 330
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Post by jdhinkle on Oct 5, 2009 12:38:34 GMT -5
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Post by JJ on Mar 10, 2015 0:04:36 GMT -5
I love these guys! I have an extensive collection of 33s, 45s and 78s. I also have a signed card from when they performed at the Sacramento Inn. It was loosely stuck with cracking tape to the back of an album cover. It must have been signed in the late 50s or early 60s. It was purchased at a yard sale in Columbus along with a signed album. The lady was in her 70s. She only wanted a dollar for them. I told her they were worth much more. She said she just wanted someone to appreciate them. I tried to give her more an she would not take it. I took her some lunch that afternoon. She soon passed away. I think she knew that I would take good care of them. The signed card and along with a 4 Freshmen picture is framed and matted behind protective glass in my living room. I sometimes have visited Don's grave a couple of times and left flowers.
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Post by Jeff Hanna on Apr 13, 2016 1:48:06 GMT -5
Don Barbour, 1927-61, was 34, not 44 when he died. His age of death is mistakenly given as 44 at other sites too. Odd.
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Post by Thomas Olson on Oct 25, 2019 14:33:46 GMT -5
Did Don Barbour just want to start a single career or was he tired of travelling? A Freshman fan told me that the accident happened in a rain storm, true???
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