Auto Towners
The Auto Towners is the Barbershop Harmony Society's 1966 International Quartet Champion.
Quartet Members
Winning Members:
- Tenor: Al Rehkop
- Lead: Glenn Van Tassel
- Bari: Clint Bostick
- Bass: Carl Dahlke
Internationals
| 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16th | 9th | 7th | 6th | 4th | 1st |
District
Represented the Michigan District.
- 1961 1st
Recordings
- Let's Hear It From The Auto-Towners[1]
Extended History
Auto Towners
While several barbershop quartets have gone on to professional careers (the Hi-Los, Four Freshmen and Osmond Brothers, for example) the Auto Towners, 1966 International champions from the Detroit area, drew at least one of its members from a professional singing group.
Baritone Clint Bostick in the early 1950s was with the "Spellbinders", a mixed quintet that sang for two years on the Patty Paige television show, appeared for 13 weeks each on the Vic Damone and Tony Bennett shows and sang for 17 weeks with Judy Garland at the Palace Theater in New York City.
Female soloist of the group was Renee Craig, to whom Clint introduced his wife, Bobbie. Renee and Bobbie soon formed the Cracker Jills, who would claim the 1957 Sweet Adelines quartet championship. Thus Clint and Bobbie became the first husband and wife team to win gold medals in both the men's and women's organizations.
(Don and Carol Ann Bagley became the second when Don's quartet, the Chiefs of Staff, won in 1988.)
It was two other members of the quartet, however - lead Glenn Van Tassel and tenor Al Rehkop - who would go on to make further headlines in the barbershop world. Both won their second gold medals as members of the Gentlemen's Agreement, 1971 champions.
Rounding out the Auto Towners was bass Carl Dahlke, an 11-year barbershopper who had sung in several quartets and directed the Chordomatic Chorus to the Michigan District championship in 1965. The Auto Towners continued to thrill audiences throughout the nation until their retirement at the end of 1969.
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