Complicated guitar solos and pulsating drum beats are typical characteristics of Rock music, but Athens a cappella group Leading Tones has been singing top 40 hits without any instruments for more than three years.
Leading Tones was started in 2005, but after many years of graduates and rotating members, only one of today's 13 members is an original member, tenor Brian Powers.
Other current members of the group include baritones Jason Martin, Daniel Felkner and Brian Kecskemety; tenors Nick Thompson, Bobby Withers, Bill Harrison, Alex Eiler and Jon Slater; bass singers Ben Prater, Aaron Bernbach and Adam Bjorlin and vocal percussionist Greg Hilgeman.
We will do almost any song that someone will arrange
Powers said. We arrange all of our own music G?We'll often do things after we hear it on the radio.
Some of the group's past and present songs include Thriller by Michael Jackson, Stacy's Mom by Fountains Of Wayne and Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry. Members of the all-male group said that they are non-vocal majors and not aspiring to be professional singers.
We are shower singers coming together as a group Powers said. A lot of us are in (Singing Men of Ohio) or have been at some point and we have auditions for new members in the fall.
Because they are not concerned with being professional, Leading Tones members said they will take any gig to have the opportunity to sing.
We're singing to some guy's girlfriend tonight to ask her to the ACRN-
Powers said. We're singing
'If You're Into it' by Flight of the Concords.
Joking aside, the group said they make an effort to do their part for serious causes and events. At Relay For Life this past weekend they sang Pictures On The Wall
a song written by Powers's friend.
A guy I went to high school with was engaged to his girlfriend when she died of cancer
Powers said. He wrote this song for her a few months before she died G? lots of people were crying.
Aside from campus events, the group travels around Southeast Ohio to perform, and Spring Quarter are the busiest months.-
just like we are
Powers said.
17
