Interstate Rivals
The Interstate Rivals is the Barbershop Harmony Society's 1987 International Quartet Champion.
Quartet Members
Winning Members:
- Tenor: Kipp Buckner
- Lead: Joe Connelly
- Bari: Paul Gilman
- Bass: Jay Hawkins
Former Members:
- Bari: Geoff Mucha (83-86)
Contest Placement
Internationals
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st |
District
Represented the Cardinal District.
- 1982 1st
Recordings
- It's A Brand New Day 1987
- The Bronze Edition 1986
also appear on
- The Thoroughbreds Present Solid Gold
Extended History
The original four members of Interstate Rivals - Kipp Buckner, Joe Connelly, Geoff Mucha, and Jay Hawkins - were all second-generation barbershoppers. Paul Gilman, who replaced Mucha as baritone in 1986, had been introduced to barbershopping by his uncle in 1980.
Mucha and Connelly, members of Cincinnati's Southern Gateway Chorus teamed up with Buckner and Hawkins, members of the Louisville Thoroughbreds, in 1982. In 1983, the foursome finished in the top ten at their first international contest.
They placed sixth in 1984, third in '85, and moved to second in 1986. That year, Mucha's postal service promotion forced him to move to another city. The remaining three drafted Gilman from Cincinnati, and he had the rare thrill of winning a gold medal in his first international contest in 1987 at Hartford, Conn.
Despite their youth (they were the second youngest quartet ever to win the championship at the time), the original Rivals combined 45 years of barbershop experience. Buckner's father had sung in an international finalist quartet, Connelly's dad was an international quartet medalist, Mucha's father had directed choruses to two bronze medals, and Hawkins' father had sung for many years in Dayton, Ohio's chorus.
The Rivals are the only quartet to have all 4 members go on to claim other quartet championship, Connelly with Keepsake in 1992, PLATINUM in 2000, and Old School in 2011, Buckner with Gas House Gang in 1993 and Old School in 2011, and Hawkins and Gilman with Marquis in 1995.
External Links