Barbershop quartet and friends harmonize for weekly breakfast

A local acapella group has been hitting all the right notes for decades, but their favourite performance space might surprise you.

It’s been a weekly tradition for decades, but a local barbershop quartet is bringing the tunes to breakfast at the Deerhead Cafe.

Doug Spensely, the past president of the Stampede City Chorus and one fourth of the quartet says the group has been singing for years together, and always enjoy coffee, breakfast and acapella on Fridays.

“This guy (Doug Marwood) invited me to go out for breakfast with him, and there was several of them having breakfast together,” he said.

“And that that tradition has continued for that whole time. First, in one restaurant, and then the one down the street here, and then this one for the last 12 years.”

The group gathers at the Deerhead Cafe on Edmonton Trail NE every Friday morning between 9-10 a.m.

“We enjoy this place, it’s the highlight of my week coming up for breakfast every Friday morning,” said Spensley.

“It turns out that for old men like us, getting together with other old men is a good way to, to stay healthy both physically and mentally. It’s good for us to do this.”

Doug Marwood, one of the founding members of the quartet says the group has changed over the years due to age but says he is still passionate about the singing.

“Well, I have buried two baritones, three basses and one lead,” said Marwood.

“Most often with the guys I sing with, once they start singing in the quartet they stay singing in the quartet.”

Marwood says the group performs for service clubs and nursing homes.

“If we have a busy week, we probably sing six or seven times,” he said.

“And it keeps your voice working well, by singing more.”

The group consists of Marwood, Spensley, Greg Verhappen and Jim Bell.

Roger Woodgate and Chris van der Baaren, who are also a part of the Chorus join the group for breakfast on Friday’s.

“We have other guys come in. We do that. We’ve always had other guys and we just enjoy each other’s company and we enjoy singing together and we enjoy this place,” said Spensley.