Carpool Barbershop Quartet

I used to spend 45 minutes in a carpool each way to work. It was mostly wasted time. If we had listened to an educational audiobook series, my carpool could all have masters degrees! The long commute is a reality for so many people, why not make it both enjoyable and educational.

Barbershop Quartet singing is a uniquely American art form that has its roots firmly embedded in amateur performance by people brought together by their work. It is particularly suited to the carpool environment, because of the auditory isolation of moving vehicles.

A two-CD set and instruction book could lead a carpool through the process of assessing singing ability and range, basic breath control and other technical considerations. The second CD would then teach the group some classic Barbershop standards. In the book, there could be a history of Barbershop singing in America, advice on how to tailor your carpool to your musical needs, how to let a rider go when you have too many tenors, and how to cultivate a waxed handlebar moustache with style.

Imagine the impact on commute times! People would be going to work and coming home happy, since you can't be angry or sad when you are singing Barbershop. There would be a resurgence of striped vests and straw boaters. Tollbooth workers would be uplifted by carloads of singers driving by. Finally, the promotion of carpooling would save fuel and reduce air pollution.

The creation and distribution of the instructional CD and book set could be partially financed by a grant by the EPA, DoT and DoE!