Left to right: Dan Tangarone, tenor; Wes Sorstokke, lead;
Forrest LaMotte, bass and Bill Thurmon, baritone
 

Need a little Friendly Advice?!

Although the four members of Friendly Advice have known each other since the 1970s,  the opportunity to sing together only came in 2001 when (left to right above) Dan, Wes, Forrest and Bill — for the first time — found themselves all unattached (quartet-wise!) at the same time.

This quartet brings to mind fond memories of the great vocal groups we all loved to listen to ... groups such as the Four Freshmen, the Kingston Trio, the New Christy Minstrels and the Mills Brothers. But unlike those fine artists, Friendly Advice sings a cappella, using their voices as the only accompaniment and blending the sound impeccably. The songs they sing are special as well, with ballads that will put a tear in your eye, uptunes to get your toes tapping and patriotic songs that will make your heart swell with pride. A Christmas set and a few 50s doo-wop numbers round out their extensive repertoire. 
 

Always performing

In their relatively short time together, they have performed for countless events in the Greater Seattle area, including some at Boeing and Microsoft.  The quartet has already traveled to New Zealand (2003 and 2007), Sweden (2004), and Finland (once in May, 2004,  again a year later, and coming up once more in May of 2008) as the US representatives at Finland’s Premier Annual Choir Festival in Vaasa. Tenor Dan Tangarone says, “We seemed to be performing non-stop for two weeks. They haven’t had much exposure to our kind of music and they love it! They put us on a nationally televised program, at the Presidential Palace, and for the US Embassy, but we were loving every minute of it and made some great friends who have since been able to visit us here in the States.” And — if you have tickets for the right home game — you may also see them at Safeco Field entertaining Seattle Mariner fans and singing the National Anthem (“What a rush,” says lead singer, Wes Sorstokke. “Nothing like an 80,000 watt sound system to get your juices flowing!” )
 

District Champions

In October of 2003, Friendly Advice won the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Evergreen District Championship, bringing the total number of championships among the quartet to 16. They boast a combined total of over 150 years of barbershop singing experience and over 30 appearances on the international competition stage. The guys are quick to point out that though winning the Evergreen District Championship is one of the major highlights of their career thus far, they get just as much excitement from sharing their music with others. “The real thrill is when you raise goose bumps on a listener's arm or see someone's tears well up during a poignant love song,” says Forrest LaMotte, bass.
 

2007 International Seniors Quartet Champions

Three years later, in October of 2006, Friendly Advice won the Senior Contest at the Evergreen District Competition in Spokane. This propelled the quartet towards the International Seniors Quartet Competition at the Barbershop Harmony Society's Midwinter Convention in Albuquerque, NM, in January of 2007. The four walked away from Albuquerque with the top honors and a gold medal to wear around their necks!

The Seniors Quartet Competition features quartets composed of singers at least 55 years old with a cumulative total of at least 240 years. Experience combined with energy gives these quartets an appealing edge and makes for great listening. 

Dateline 2007: Friendly Advice wins Seniors Quartet Medals at Midwinter Convention! Friendly Advice grabbed the gold at the 2007 Barbershop Harmony Society International Seniors Quartet Contest, held in Albuquerque, NM on January 26. As representatives of the Evergreen District, the quartet beat out 25 other competitors from Canada, the USA, and Australia. The Seniors Contest highlights competitors who are dedicated to the proposition that you can still strive for the gold even though you may have grey hair (or no hair!). For contest purposes, a seniors quartet is described as one in which each member is at least 55 years old and the sum of the ages is at least 240 years. The quartet competed with an Irish package (like you couldn't tell from our photo!), and sang If There'd Never Been an Ireland and That's An Irish Lullaby.

We hope you enjoy learning a little bit about Friendly Advice. Be sure to check out our calendar for upcoming performances, visit the About Us page to see “what makes us tick”, or add a comment in our NEW guest book.

  
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