ONCE UPON A TIME...there were three singers - a tenor, a lead, and a baritone. They scoured all the nearby regions for the perfect bass. They met one, but she sang too high. They met another, but she sang too low. They searched and searched for two long years. Then one day a friend told them of a bass down St. Louie way. The three singers met with her, and she was just right! SO, on January 11, 2009, Ethel was born! That Spring Ethel competed in their first regional competition, placing 6th, and they were very pleased. This led to several shows, and a lot more time spent together. The gals love each others' company, and they will sing for you at the drop of a hat (preferably a sparkly one). ETHEL is a women's barbershop quartet, part of Sweet Adelines International. Combined, the gals have almost 100 years of experience in the organization. They belong to 2 regions and 4 choruses: Melodeers in Region 3; and Danville, Champaign-Urbana, and River Blenders in Region 5. Ethel is having a wonderful time, and we are looking forward to what the future has in store! |
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| MARY ANN NEUMAN - Tenor | |
| Mary
Ann joined the Champaign-Urbana Chapter of Sweet Adelines in 1983. In
1988 she moved to Northern California, singing with choruses in Region
12 before returning to Illinois in 2006. Mary Ann and her husband
Brad live in Streator, where they are both pursuing their incredibly time-consuming
hobbies: Mary Ann sings with the 5-time International Champion Melodeers
Chorus in Northbrook, Illinois, which involves a 2.5 hour commute
each way with her MeloSouth carpool, and Brad jumps out of airplanes.
They have three children: Stephen (30) lives in California and married
a doctor; Bryan (28) is recently married and is currently serving in Afghanistan with the Navy Reserves. Both boys have provided Mary Ann with adorable
granddaughters, neither of which are anywhere near their doting "Babs";
and Sarah (22) has recently fled the Midwest, returning to her birth state
of California. Rounding out the household are 3 cocker spaniels and 5
siamese cats. Mary Ann is currently pursuing her dream to get
the degree she never had time for earlier in her life and just started a new full-time job. |
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| BECKY McDUFFEE - Lead | |
Becky
is short in pictures and even shorter
in person. She lives in Champaign, Illinois, probably a misspelling of
the famous French wine. Becky works full-time at the University of Illinois
and is a member of 2 choruses. She just goes down the street on Monday
night to sing with the Champaign-Urbana
Chorus, and if that's not enough, on Tuesday night she drives an insane
number of miles in a hilarious carpool to sing great songs with the award-winning
St. Louis Harmony
Chorus in - well - St. Louis. Becky serves on the Sweet Adelines International
Regional Management Team as the Directors' Coordinator. (She wasn’t
busy enough?) Married for 30 years, with four sons age 17 to 28, all but
one of the children escaped to make lives of their own away from home
(and that last one has his plans in place). Becky has three beloved grandchildren
to play with. She never imagined her life would be like this, but she
has found it to be a great life, filled with wonderful people, harmony,
and fun. |
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| JOANNA COOMBS - Baritone | |
Joanna
has led a life full of music. She first sang a solo at church at the age
of five. When she joined choir in the 5th grade, she found out how much
fun it is to sing a harmony part. She has been harmonizing ever since
then, with an occasional foray back into the world of melody. When she
went to college, she didn't know what major she should choose. Music seemed
like a soft option, and she wanted something challenging. It wasn't long
before she missed singing, so she tried out for the madrigal choir and
made it! That was her first experience with an all-a cappella group, and
it was both thrilling and challenging. She decided to major in music and
now teaches general music, band and choir in a private school in the Danville
area, as well as teaching private piano, guitar, violin and voice lessons.
She joined the Danville
Sweet Adelines in 2005. She makes music at home with her husband,
Paul, and her young son, Scott. |
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| NANCY INMAN - Bass | |
Nancy
has been singing barbershop with the River
Blenders Chorus in St. Louis since 1986. She was a barbershop brat,
with both parents singing with area choruses in St. Louis. Nancy's been
knocking around Region 5 for a while now, having sung baritone in Four
Way Stop, bass in Second Generation, baritone in 'Shop Talk and now bass
in Ethel. The lower clef is her thing! She and her husband, Rudi, have
2 daughters, 11 and 14 years old. Nancy works full time for a construction
company in St. Louis. |
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