- By Dan Veaner
- Around Town
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POPS: Tom Knoll, Butch Talada, David Kone and Paul Velleman
POPS is Tom Knoll, Butch Talada, David Kone and Paul Velleman. The four perform in T-shirts that spell "POPS" when they stand in the right order. When they make a mistake Mr. Knoll , the first "P," turns around to reveal an "O" on the back of his shirt, which changes the word from "POPS" to "OOPS." The four used "Wild Irish Rose" wine as a prop while singing the song of the same name, and other wine while singing their own, "Step right up and taste some of this wine, of this wine; Please taste one of these, cuz this ones mine."
For a group that sings in close harmony, the men are surprisingly diverse. Tenor Tom Knoll, is a customer service representative for a sheet metal fabricating company in Elmira. Lead singer Butch Talada, "O," is the catering manager at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Dave Kone, the second "P," sings bass. A retired postal worker, the Lansing man volunteers as a child care monitor at Lansing Middle School. Baritone Paul Velleman ("S") is a statistics professor at Cornell University and founder of Data Description, a software firm.
The latter three sing with The Ithachords, the barbershop chorus in Ithaca. Mr. Kone, who is President of the chorus, says, "We are always looking for guys who like to sing to join us at a rehearsal." Mr. Talada and Mr. Knoll also sing with The Mark Twain Chorus in Elmira, N.Y. of which Mr. Talada is the President.
The quartet has been together just over a year but have over 100 years of Barbershop experience between them, all the singers having been in other quartets. "It takes more than 4 guys who want to sing to form a quartet," says Mr. Kone. "The voices have to blend. This takes a lot of hard work and dedication."
The group practices at least once a week, not counting individual practice and weekly chorus rehearsal once a week. They have just begun getting singing jobs. "We sing for most any reason, says Mr. Kone. "This time of year is busy."
"I guess our love for music is what got us singing," he explains. "Most of us don't sing to well by ourselves and barbershop gives us all a chance to sing and have fun. We, collectively, know hundreds of songs, but the voices have to blend. So, I would say that at this moment, we probably have about 30 that we do well."
They were certainly doing them well on Saturday. Wine and coffee buyers crowded around the four with big smiles on their faces, and some even snapped pictures. Owners Bob and Julie Crowley got the fun atmosphere they hoped for. The POPS were a good time from the moment they started singing.
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