The Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus has kept the sound of barbershop music alive in North Central Florida through performance and community for nearly 50 years.
This all-women, year-round a cappella group is made up of nearly 30 members who gather each week to rehearse, compete and celebrate the power of four-part harmony.
They perform barbershop arrangements of songs spanning decades from the Roaring ’20s to contemporary pop, all sung without instruments and arranged to highlight the rich blending of vocal parts. The group’s intricate and emotional style is one that continues to bring generations of singers together.
Every Thursday night from 7 to 9:30 p.m., their voices ring out in the halls of Grace Presbyterian Church. Though some members have sung in choirs their entire lives, others are welcomed with no experience.
Tiare Fridrich is one of the chorus’s newest members, having joined in January after attending a rehearsal out of curiosity.
“I didn’t really know anything about barbershop before I came to the practice,” Fridrich said. “And the first time hearing the four parts in harmony is something else.”
It’s not just the harmonies that drew her in. She said the people are what made her stay.
“I’ve never met a group of more welcoming people,” she said. “It’s like I gained a whole family on the first night I joined.”
The Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus is a chartered chapter of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of women committed to advancing barbershop harmony through education, competition and performance. This connection allows the group to participate in regional and national competitions, attend music education workshops and connect with other chapters across the globe.
In April, the chorus earned third place overall at the Region 9 Coastal Harmony Convention, a testament to the group’s dedication, talent and teamwork.
But for many, the rewards go far beyond awards.
“Everyone who sings barbershop wants to share the joy of it with people who have never experienced it,” Fridrich said. “There’s just something about it that connects you with people.”
That connection is something the group has fostered since its inception. Diane K. Sherley, one of the original founders and a charter member, has been singing with the group for more than 50 years.
Sherley started the chorus in 1978 with her mother, her sister and the wives of local barbershop quartet members.
“Women of the men’s group wanted to sing also,” Sherley said. “So we got together and started our own.”
What began as a handful of voices has grown into a multigenerational chorus. Some members have been singing with the group for decades and others, like Fridrich, are just beginning their journey. Regardless of experience, each woman is welcomed with open arms and guided by mentors who share the same love for the music.
“Performing together is joyful,” said Beckie Preston, who has been a member for 34 years and currently serves as the bass section leader and the group’s music librarian. “It’s a lot of fellowship and trust.”
That bond is what keeps many members coming back year after year. For some, it’s not just a hobby, it’s a second family.
“We’re very much a sisterhood,” said Jenny Winsor, who has been with the chorus for 36 years and currently co-directs the group. “Even in our regular lives, we look after each other. We’re pretty much a family here.”
Beyond weekly rehearsals, the chorus performs at community events, local showcases and regional competitions. They also host outreach performances that introduce new audiences to the distinct sound of barbershop harmony.
What makes the group stand out isn’t just their precision or musicality, but the energy and heart they bring to the stage and to each other.
“We support each other, lift each other up and have fun while doing something we love,” Preston said.
The Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus welcomes women of all musical backgrounds to attend a rehearsal and see what it’s all about, no audition or prior experience is required. Whether someone is a lifelong singer or simply curious about joining a group, they’ll find a place to grow, learn and belong.