Coles County Chorus
2024 Summer Show – Route 66 Featuring Guest Quartet Center Ring

The Coles County Chorus invites you to get hip to a trip on Route 66. The show is at 4pm on June 8th on the Dvorak Hall stage on the EIU campus. The show is a collection of pop, country, jazz, gospel and show tunes one could have heard on the radio when you made that California trip.  We hope you join the CCC and get your kicks as we sing barbershop versions of some of your favorite tunes. Keep an eye out here for ticket information.

Our guest quartet this year is Center Ring. They formed in February of 2019 and eight months later won the Illinois District 2019 Quartet Championship. Collectively they have almost 130 years of Barbershop singing, and all four have sung in several quartets and choruses over those years. You might say barbershop singing has been part of each of their family trees, as they have had grandfathers, fathers, mothers, and siblings singing barbershop before and along with them. Center Ring was thrilled to represent the Illinois District at the 2023 International Quartet Competition and Convention in July!

The members of Center Ring are Craig Hall, Ben Dirks, Patrick Henders and Andy Isbell.

Craig Hall – Tenor
Prior to singing Barbershop, Craig sang in vocal jazz groups and choruses, and
performed in theater during high school and college. His grandfather was a
Barbershop singer in Syracuse, NY, so Barbershop was already in Craig’s blood.
Following college, he began singing Barbershop and has been a member of the
Barbershop Harmony Society singing for over 35 years. After having earned
International medals with Illinois District choruses and being in numerous Top-5
district level quartets, Craig is proud to be part of this District Championship
quartet. Craig has two adult children and lives in Channahon, IL with his partner Mark.

Ben Dirks – Lead
Ben began his barbershop career at the age of 12. His entire family; grandfather,
dad, mom, AND brother all have or still sing barbershop. You could say he is a true
“barbershop brat.” First joining the Rock River Valley Chorus in Sterling-Rock Falls,
IL he got a taste of what this incredible hobby was all about. He held many
administrative positions with the chorus, but still wanted more. He sang in
numerous Valentine’s Day quartets, but felt the itch to find his first “serious”
quartet. This is when “74 and quarter” was formed (yes, that was their name!).
They were honored to win the 2012 IL District novice championship! Ben became
a dual-member of the Sound of Illinois Chorus in Bloomington, IL where he was
able to join them for two International chorus contests. He is a member of the
West Towns Chorus in Downers Grove, IL. Ben currently serves as the Illinois
District Executive Vice President and is looking forward to his presidency in 2025
and 2026! Ben and his wife Allison, along with their son (and one on the way, live in Elburn,
IL.

Patrick Henders – Baritone
Patrick (Pat) is a 35 year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, having
sung in quartets the past 25 of those years. Pat sang in the very popular Illinois
District quartet, VoiceMale, where he sang with his father (International Gold
Medal winner Ray Henders) and finished as high as second place in the district
contest. From 2007-2010 Pat sang with Rush Street Quartet and represented the
Illinois District three times at the International Contest. Rush Street became the
Illinois District Quartet Champion in 2008. Pat also sang in OMG Quartet with
Craig, from 2016-2018, representing the Illinois District at the International
contest in 2018. Finally, Pat was a member of an International Champion chorus
in 1987, singing with the West Towns Chorus. Pat and his wife Mary Pat, along with their three children, live in Lindenhurst, IL.

Andy Isbell – Bass
Andy is a second generation barbershopper, although his father was a member
less than a year. Andy’s first exposure to the Barbershop Harmony Society was
attending a chorus rehearsal in Belleville, IL with his dad while home from college
in 1984. Andy joined the Illini Statesmen Chorus in Champaign-Urbana in 1985. He
has sung with several notable quartets, including a brief stint as replacement bass
of Four Star Revue, the 1988 Illinois District Champions, Fascinatin’ Rhythm, the
1992 Illinois District Champions, and Drive Time, 2014 Illinois District Champions.
Andy also represented the Central States District twice in the International
Quartet Competition in 2012 and 2013 with Full Effect. Andy sang with Craig and
Pat in the Great American Chorus in the early 2000’s. Since 2009 he has sung with
the St. Charles, Missouri based Ambassadors of Harmony Chorus and has served
as one of their bass section leaders for the last 10 years.
Andy and his wife Sara have two adult children and live in Bloomington, IL.

Also Appearing – Senioritis

“Senioritis” is Mt. Zion High School’s latest quartet. Appropriately made up of all seniors at the school, the members include tenor Kolbi Allen, lead Ellie Fritzsche, baritone Alex Current, and bass Daniel Soares. While the foursome have only been singing together for about a year, they all have extensive singing and performing experience, having been members of Mt. Zion’s award winning show choirs over the years. The quartet entered the HS quartet competition last September in Bloomington at the annual convention sponsored by the Illinois District of the Barbershop Harmony Society and won the title of “HS Mixed Quartet State Champion” for 2023. Over the past year, the group has performed on various concerts and shows, for church services and community events. The Coles County Show will be their farewell performance before the members go their separate ways and head to college in the fall.