ADELINES SERANADE BARBERSHOP MUSIC FANS

The recurring joke in an episode of the old sitcom "Cheers" has first one cast member and then another in the bar shushing a barbershop quartet trying to sing "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie." Some people like barbershop harmonies and some people don't, acknowledges Irene Stevens, director of the Girardot Chorus of Sweet Adelines, International.

The activity center at St. Andrew Lutheran Church Saturday held people who mostly do like the music. In matinee and evening shows, they heard the Sweet Adelines perform a musical travelogue of America titled "Hear the U.S.A." With Jon Kasten narrating, the 18 members of the Sweet Adelines took listeners from sunny California ("California Dreamin') to New York City ("New York, New York") and numerous points between ("Meet Me in St. Louis.") About 40 people attended Saturday's matinee performance.

Performing some of the songs were two quartets from within the group, the Accidentals and the Cape Rock Four, along with a group called the Small Chorus.

The groups sang ballads, blues, rollicking country and western and a novelty song, "The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati," that called on the Small Chorus to don antennae.

A decision was made a few years ago to add more modern songs like "California Dreamin'" and the country hit "If You're Gonna Play in Texas" to the Sweet Adelines' repertoire, Stevens says.

Jean Seres, known as "The Hat Lady," told jokes in a variety of silly hats while the Sweet Adelines changed costumes. She was a hit.

"Every man needs a wife because there are some things that go wrong that he can't blame on the government," she cracked.

And, "sometimes I wake up grumpy, and other times I just let him sleep."

Stevens has directed the Sweet Adelines for five years and is a bass-singing charter member. The group was chartered in 1983.

She says the members of the group tend to be middle-aged and older for a good reason. "Young women have young families," she said. "... Those poor women are already at their wit's end."

But singing can be a respite, she said. "I always ask, What are you doing for yourself, to replenish yourself?"

For her, nothing compares to the sound of barbershop harmony. "Barbershop is different from any other harmony," she said. "The chords are arranged differently."

When sung well, she said, some chords will ring and create a note that isn't even being sung.

"When we hit that note goose bumps go up and down your spine," Stevens said. "Then you know you've done it right."