Boston Consort
Boston Consort was an International-level Northeastern District quartet active in the late 1980s that evolved from the lineup of the Boston Common.
Quartet Members
- Tenor: Fran Page
- Lead: Tommy Spirito
- Baritone: Larry Tully
- Bass: Terry Clarke
Contest Placement
International
| 1987 |
|---|
| 26th |
Extended History
Boston Consort
Something of a Northeastern District supergroup quartet, Boston Consort evolved from the original Boston Common lineup, following Rich Knapp’s departure from active performance with the quartet in the wake of a serious 1982 car accident that left him hearing impaired. Initially, the Boston Common replaced Knapp with Tommy Spirito (a hero of Knapp’s and a well-established International-level quartet lead from the NED) for a handful of studio recordings and limited live engagements. Kent Martin eventually also took a hiatus from active performance with the group, leaving the tenor slot open and only half of the original quartet members remaining.
Stand-in tenors included Eddie Ryan (of Easternaires fame) as they continued to perform on sparse occasions as the Boston Common until a stable lineup fell into place with Fran Page on tenor. The foursome then decided to rebrand themselves as Boston Consort, a name that paid tribute to their origins while acknowledging the new personnel. Featuring four of the winningest competitive quartet singers ever to hail from the Northeastern District, Boston Consort delighted audiences with their unique sound. Their legacy lives on especially with the popularity of the particular arrangement of “Sittin’ On Top of the World” that Second Edition famously included on their self-titled studio album, a chart that Boston Consort originally woodshedded from scratch. The chart, as originally woodshedded and as still often performed today, is now available in print via the Society’s Harmony Marketplace with the entire quartet credited as its arrangers.[1]
Also Sang With
Fran Page
- The B Sharps – NED Champions, 1960
- The CrossCountrymen – NED Champions, 1963
- The Great Chord Conspiracy – NED Champions, 1976
- Prime Alliance – NED Champions, 1988
Tommy Spirito
- The Four Rascals – NED Champions, 1959; Int’l Competitors 1959-1966; Int'l Medalists 1963-1966
Larry Tully
- The Four Scores – NED Champions, 1970
- The Boston Common – Int’l Champions, 1980
- Our Town – NED Champions, 2008
Terry Clarke
- The CrossCountrymen – NED Champions, 1963
- The Boston Common – NED Champions, 1971; Int'l Champions, 1980
- Our Town – NED Champions, 2008