Barbershop quartet creates 'buzz'

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Bernie Kale
  • Alaska Air National Guard
CAMP DENALI, Alaska (AFNS) --  When Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Tillman of the Alaska Air National Guard deployed to Southwest Asia last fall, he went with the goal to start a barbershop quartet. But how it fell into place, and the impact his deployed quartet is making, has created quite a buzz.

"Whenever I hear the national anthem played at ceremonies with instruments only and no words, I offer to sing it the next time,"  Chief Tillman said. "I feel the words of our anthem are important and need to be heard."

Chief Tillman volunteered to be the worship leader during the Protestant chapel service, and had been in the position for a few weeks when he heard Senior Airman Chris Barajas sing. Chief Tillman knew then he had the second member of the group.

"I knew it would be difficult to find a tenor," Chief Tillman said. "But as soon as I heard Chris sing, I recognized that he would make a great fit as a tenor."

Soon after the service, Chief Tillman approached Airman Barajas and asked him if he had sung with any barbershop quartets.

"He responded positively and started listing off his favorite barbershop quartets,"  Chief Tillman said. "I knew then I was well on my way to starting the group."

Soon rehearsals began when two more deployed Airmen, (Chaplain) Capt. Sean Randall and Col. Mark Danigole, the vice wing commander,  joined the group, forming "For God and Country."

"The reason we named it that is because we were all serving our country and volunteering our free time in the chapel's music programs," Chief Tillman said.

Chief Tillman next used his connections as a member of an Alaska quartet to assist in training his deployed quartet. The group responded by sending music, helping the newly formed quartet to learn tracks and come together as performers.

With a little practice, the group began singing the national anthem and other music at several events.

"To say the least, wing members were amazed that we could produce the sound that we did," Chief Tillman said. "At one event, the crowd wanted us to sing more, even after we sang all the songs we knew. So we ended up singing a few songs twice, and they loved it."

Chief Tillman will finish his deployment in early March, and he said he is grateful that the members of "For God and Country" were able to use their voices to boost the morale of the deployed members around them.

"I am thrilled that we were able to pull it off during our short deployment together," Chief Tillman said. "It's been a great run with fantastic results, and I am just happy to be a part of it."