Don MacFarlane,
Joe D'Erico,
Tom Magarro,
Pat DeNegri
The Yankees began competing in the late 1950's and discovered
that the judges were a bit rough in those days. After one of our early competitions,
one of the judges asked if our bass had a physical handicap. It seems that he stuck his
left arm out in a stage-presence gesture and didn't retrieve it for two entire songs.
After that we worked on our stage presence and before long, his handicap was gone,
and stage presence became our best category!
Our first coach was Gene Loebs, tenor with the champion quartet, Playtonics.
By the 1962 District convention in Washington, DC, the Yankees started finding
some popularity, and, amongst stiff competition, made it into the top 5!
Before we won in 1963, we had attended the international contests in Kansas city
and Toronto, where we placed 30th and 15th respectively.
In October of 1963, we won the District contest in Atlantic City, NJ.
From then on, we had performances from New York to California, and Maine to Texas, but
we held on to our day jobs. After considerable 'globe-trotting' and having
the time of our lives, we began to experience some changes. Little Joe had problems
and moved to Florida. Scotty Ward, former baritone with the famous Buffalo Bills
became our new lead.
After a quick vote, we changed our name to The Music Men and moved up to
the Big Time, Radio City Music Hall, The Plaza Hotel, Playclubs and others.
Twenty five years later, we went to Florida for a Yankee reunion with Little Joe.
We walked into his home, Don blew a B-flat, and we began singing without missing a beat,
just as if we never split up. ( Well, maybe we were a little rusty. )
Currently, Joe D'Erico is singing with the 'big chorus in the sky'. Tom Magarro lives in Naples, Fl.,
and Don MacFarlane and Pat DeNegri are in South Jersey singing with the
Atlantic City Boardwalk Chorus.
Enjoy this wonderful hobby of ours and keep the whole world singing.
God Bless America
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