FRED (quartet)
Encyclopedia
FRED is a comic barbershop
quartet formed in 1990 by members of the Marietta
Big Chicken Chorus.
Despite their focus on comedy, FRED produces a very refined sound. Their performance in 1999 at the SPEBSQSA
International Championship made them gold medal
ists.
FRED's take on the "comedy quartet" was original, in that they have not relied on spoken dialog in between songs to set up the humor in the next song, as most comedy quartets do. Instead, their humor is built in to their lyrics, musical arrangements, and stage presentation. Parodies are a staple of their performances, and their parodies (well-known songs set to different words) often have Barbershop "in-jokes" where they poke fun at other quartets and singers (by name!), themselves, and even the contest judges.
Barbershop music
Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era , is a style of a cappella, or unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture...
quartet formed in 1990 by members of the Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
Big Chicken Chorus.
Despite their focus on comedy, FRED produces a very refined sound. Their performance in 1999 at the SPEBSQSA
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
International Championship made them gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ists.
FRED's take on the "comedy quartet" was original, in that they have not relied on spoken dialog in between songs to set up the humor in the next song, as most comedy quartets do. Instead, their humor is built in to their lyrics, musical arrangements, and stage presentation. Parodies are a staple of their performances, and their parodies (well-known songs set to different words) often have Barbershop "in-jokes" where they poke fun at other quartets and singers (by name!), themselves, and even the contest judges.
Discography
- Simply FRED (CD; 1997)
- Get Happy (CD; 1998)
- Putting the HA in HArmony (double-CD; 2000)
- The FreDinci Code (CD; 2006)