Belles and Beaux: A Musical Tradition Harding performers take talent around the country The year was 1959. Many of our nation's armed forces were stationed overseas, far from home and family . Perhaps many soldiers longed for some reminder of home. A group of Harding University students decided to reach qut to these soldiers and bring them a little taste of home. Working with the United Service Organization, 20 students formed an entertainment group that we know today as Belles and Beaux. As the need for military personnel stationed overseas decreased, the group became more of a regular performance band and a strong recruiting tool for Harding. Belles and Beaux is Harding's only school sponsored pop band. This group, comprised of 14 singers and musicians, traveled all over the country singing at high schools, colleges and churches. The music the band played varied according to the time and location of the concert. Rock, blues, c1assica!. country and western, jazz and Christian music could all be heard at a Belles and Beaux concert. "We will play anything that will entertain our audience," Chuck Hicks, sponsor and former member of the group, said. Belles and Beaux holds auditions every spring for the spots they have open for the next year. Normally they have at least 70 people audition for each open spot in the band. The band practiced each Tuesday and Thursday for a combined three hours. . While all of the time spent practicing and performing took its toll on the band, the members agreed it was well worth it. "Traveling around to all parts of the country that 1 have never seen before for free is the best part of being a member of Belles and Beaux," senior Terry Zikes said. Being in Belles and Beaux provided its members with valuable experience in musical performance. "1 want to be a backup Singer someday and the experience that1gain through being in Belles and Beaux will help me achieve my goa!." senior Darbie Renfroe said. - Mac Bell ~r __________ ~C ~h_o _r a_l~G_ r_o ~ u ~ p_s ~ Organizations Senior Jeremy Picker, a member of Belles and Beaux, practices a song for an upcoming performance. The band played 20~25 concerts during the year and had more show date requests than they could fill, according to Chuck Hicks, sponsor. Photo by Daniel Dubois.
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