Boston Common 1980 International Championship

[@laurieduncan8]

I used to sit with the headphones on and listen to my Dad's Boston Common songs for hours when I was kid. I'm so thankful that he left me the legacy of Barbershop music. And, the Boston Common was truly one of the best quartets ever. Thank you so much for sharing the videos!

[@jakethewoz]

I just can't stop watching these Boston Common videos! Especially the tag on Barbershop Strut, where Larry does the most energetic "I'm-singing-words-while-singing-AAAAH" that there has ever been and will ever be!

[@WilliamAiken]

So many chills! Such a beautiful song and executed perfectly.

[@JulienNeel]

I love their tone! Beautiful!

[@eknivsnikta]

studies have shown that Barbershop Quartet apologies are four times more effective than apologizing on your own.

[@georgesoros6415]

But not ALWAYS effective. I've had to run from two once we mentioned who the giver was.

[@thebl00per]

Rich Knapp is perhaps the most underrated lead of all time. What PRESENCE and MUSICALITY!

[@marshallhankin7279]

Brent. You are spot on!

[@shaneforamerica]

What a thrill to watch this! Thanks for posting, Jamie! Can't wait to see the rest!

[@superdangal]

Jamie, thanks for posting as I was in the military to the time and never thought I would see their 1980 international performance. The BC had the most unique blend and full sound of any quartet ever. I had the distinct pleasure to hear them live on many occasions and was blown away each time, They will never be matched.

[@rmosutton]

Thanks. Jamie. Hard to stop watching this; it's sort of like somehow getting a tape of Lincoln doing the Gettysburg Address, for those of us who joined the Society a couple years after the Common won and never got to see their contest performances. OK, exaggeration for effect, but you get the idea. And Brent is way right about Rich's musicality. You feel that with them it is all about the song, all about the music, not about the singers.

[@guestradamus]

0:06 “...from Boston and Beverly, Massasschusettstts...” - gets me every time 😂

[@rmosutton]

Thanks, Jamie -- this really needed to be preserved. Hope after you get the last round posted you'll also have the clip of the announcements of the medalists to post. This is a great favor you're doing. Bob Sutton

[@hjotto]

THX, BC influenced me with BBS Singing during their trip to Germany in 1982.

[@kathymorfin4447]

The best quartet ever.

[@timsteryt]

Awesome. Can hardly wait 2 weeks to see the set with TOQOM! Thank you for sharing.

[@WilliamPupkis]

MickDargan wrote about not using a pitchpipe. Kent told me that once Rich took out the pitch pipe, looked at it, and then put it away, and the presentation judge scored them higher for doing that. Although they never won an medals for their "stage presents." I came into the society in 1975 in the Northeastern District, where they were from so we got to see them quite often and became good friends with Rich and Kent.

[@sparkyslandscaping]

very nice thank you

[@seventieschildexcess]

ONE OF A KIND AND STILL STANDING ! ! !

[@Firehouse4USA]

Thank you for posting this. What a sound!

[@hugoforth]

As Pavorotti was to Opera....so Boston Common were to Barbershop quartet singing, easily the finest quartet in my lifetime with a blend that was phenomenal. and unique because they had a certain amount of tremolo in their voices,..a definite no no in Barbershop, but why because this shows that it works....you can always recognise Boston Common...not so with most of the others.

[@joecunningham3490]

I agree . That combination has never been equaled. I have heard the quartets from the 60's on and nobody was ever as good.

[@marshallhankin7279]

The best quartet ever. The crooners!

[@beachbum47]

I was there at the Salt Palace to see this live.

[@lenanona-p1x]

So was I! It was thrilling to see them live. I also remember the Vocal Majority performing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It brought me to my knees.

[@thebl00per]

Unlike many of the quartets from the 70s and 80s, the Boston Common would still score a solid mid-A. "Forgive Me" was absolutely stunning!

[@Wahl95]

Check out Rich nodding at 6:57... he knows they just KILLED it.

[@tabanjoman24]

The best ever!

[@georgesteinberg3636]

I SENT THIS TO MY SWEETHEART

[@Ben10r]

@jcarboneda10r Hey Jamie, any update on that epic Old Songs Medley?

[@Tapioca674]

Once in a century…

[@georgesoros6415]

Fortunate you truly are, my tenoric friend. Tenor on!!!!! Try to not hurt Scott's feelings. He's a tad sensitive, y'know. Banging all those old ladies for a living is not something he's overly proud of. Give him a smooch from me. Isn't Larry great? And Terry changed BBshop forever. The only pre-Terry true basses were the guy who died in the Easternaires, the Buffalo Bills original bass, maybe Jay Wright, of Sidewinders and Far Westerners fame, maybe Mr. Felgen of the Four Renegades. Nowadays you can't win without a tremendous Basso Profundo. Besides Oxley, the guy from Nightlife probably gets the nod as the greatest BBS bass ever, with a deep, deep voice and such a mellow tone. Terry set the standard. The guy from the old Easternaires was such a voice and had amazing style. Listen to "Steppin' Out With My Baby", on "Something Slightly Different". A very poor recording, but what a Bass! And the rest of the four weren't chopped liver, neither. Today, though, I was listening to the Confederates' side of Barbershop Battle, and the song "Summertime" shows off their bass to truly awesome, terrible effect. But your pal is definitely in the top few, and he is SO mellow, he makes the quartet sound good no matter what. And Mr. Tully is my baritone hero. So smooth, so perfect. Seen and heard, but not much show, just perfection. Say "Hi" to Scottso for me, but don't mention the old ladies thing. He's sorta sensitive about it. They weren't all that old, either!

[@kdenino]

Love this! Do you have their other two sets?

[@MrDomenic1974]

that got me wicked hard

[@MickDargan]

Now THAT'S what I call pitch technique . . . don't use a pitchpipe!

[@Barbershoperlead11]

y u no post this?!?!?!?

[@nycbruce11]

Does anyone know the source of this song? Composer? Lyricist? It's so iconic I can't believe nobody knows where it came from!

[@PFlow007]

Oh jesus their good! Forgive me!!!

[@chrisring123]

Chuckling because in previous contests the judges wouldn’t give them the gold because they didn’t dance or move around - so they sing Barbershop Strut as their second song, lol 😉

[@Neowolf882]

What song are they singing? it sounds familiar

[@borisvandruff7532]

The closest any quartet comes to the Buffalo Bills. Just saying.