People: Three Men an a Tenor

UNTUCKED ROCK AND AC

Over the past five years, many alumni who have returned to campus for events like Homecoming or the 'Spartan Spectacular' at Wharton Center have been entertained by a student a capella quartet called Three Men And A Tenor. Well, Chuck Colby, Mark Stiles, Paul Felch and tenor Glenn Williams are now alumni, and their career as a musical group is taking off.

Their CD, Untucked: All The Songs We Know, includes ballads like 'Sweetheart of Sigma Chi,' doo- wop songs, Motown medleys, and their Beverly Hillbillies/Hooked on Phonics rap masterpiece. They love to interject humor, such as a satiric request for 'Casey Colby.'

The men (and tenor) met in 1992 while performing for MSU's Men's Glee Club. '(Director) Jeff Johnson was looking for a small ensemble to sing in Grayling,' recalls Colby, who runs the business end for the group. 'So we got together on the spur of the moment. We learned a barbershop song, 'Hello My Baby.' It was very funny, but easy. We clicked.'

Recently all four gave up fairly decent jobs to polish their act. They have already performed for alumni clubs in Florida. Last March in Ann Arbor they raised $8,000 for Habitat for Humanity. Next year, they have concerts in Las Vegas and Dallas, TX. On January 27, they will perform at MSU's Wharton Center.

'Until now,' says Colby, 'we've invested all our money back into the group, mostly for equipment. We have more money in our sound system than the average band, and we don't use instruments. Of course, our cordless mikes cost $700 apiece.'

The group is currently working on their second CD, tentatively titled Rock And AC. Colby says members of the MSU Alumni Association, which helped get them started, will enjoy a special price of $10 per CD (plus $2 for shipping).

Alumni can write them directly at P.O. Box 6, Dexter, MI 48130, or call 800-27-SOUND.