Traverse City Record-Eagle

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December 3, 2010

MSU alums take fill-in gig to new level

Three Men and a Tenor perform Friday, Dec. 10

By Vanessa McCray vmccray@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — -- In 1992, four college guys started a singing group.

Now, Three Men and a Tenor are all grown up, raising young families and holding down jobs and a touring schedule that has them singing Christmas songs in Traverse City at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. The a capella, pop vocal group performs its "The Ha-Ha Holidays Show" at the City Opera House.

Members Paul Felch, Chuck Colby, Mark Stiles and Glenn Williams formed the ensemble at Michigan State University. Jokes quickly flew about the group's make-up, which consists of three towering, tall singers and Williams, a short-of-stature-but-not-of-talent tenor.

The group's original purpose was just to fill up some open time at a college concert after a jazz band backed out and left room on the concert bill. But the combination of voices, humor and personalities clicked, and Three Men and a Tenor would go on to perform around the United States, in Germany and air its own PBS television special.

"Our goal is to go where people want the show and to make people happy," said Stiles.

The group's members live in central and southern Michigan. Their concerts mix nonscripted comedy and banter with songs that range from mainstream pop music to original tunes. The holiday concert will include standard Christmas songs such as "Silent Night," "Silver Bells" and a unique version of "Carol of the Bells." The group also has two original holiday songs "The Boots and the Beard" and "Frosty the Blues Man."

"We try to keep the arrangements original even if the songs are covers. It is just intended to flow from one song to another," Stiles said.

Tickets to the family friendly concert are $10 for children and $20 to $30 for adults. For more information, visit the website www.cityoperahouse.org or call 941-8082.

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