Monday, December 5, 2011
Does anyone remember the Merrill Staton Choir?
In my youth, I frequently listened to two long-playing records that were favorites of my father's. One was "Up Anchor!", an album of US Navy songs, and the other was an album of US Army songs, "Sound Off!". The recordings were by the Merrill Staton Choir (which I understand was also known as the Merrill Staton Voices), a choir formed by Dr. Merrill Staton, who died in 2000. I haven't been able to find any online sources about him except for a brief obituary here - scroll down to find it.
I'd love to find copies of these albums in digital format, if they're out there. Does anyone know whether they were ever transcribed into digital format, and if so, where they might be obtained? Otherwise I'll have to buy the albums in LP record format, get a USB turntable, and make my own digital conversions. I find the memories of those songs returning more and more often, and I'd love to hear them again, particularly the Merrill Staton Choir's rendition of 'Shenandoah'. It's hauntingly beautiful, far more so than any other version I've heard since my childhood.
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.
Peter
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6 comments:
I'm just shy of 70 and can't say I ever heard of them
I checked out YouTube but could only find one or two songs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZiB6ddsZFo&feature=related
If memory serves, they were the first to record the Christmas Carol, Do You Hear What I Hear?" It made me love it ever since....and it's been about 50 years.
Here is a selection to listen to online, including "Shenandoah"
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news.htm?articleID=7703
It is from Teachers College, where he did his doctorate.
Douglas2, thank you so much! It was great to hear 'Shenandoah' again, sung their way. That'll keep me going until I can find copies of the records.
I searched the web for about a month for an album I bought in the late 50's. I did not know the name of the album but I did know that "over there" followed by "goodbye broadway hello france" was on it. I finally found the album "sound off" by the Merrill Staton Choir. I purchased the album on amazon. There is one more for sale on amazon. Search "merrill staton choir sound". It is selling for $25 plus shipping. There is a website that has copied it to disk. They want $65 for the vinyl and disk.
I have the priviledge of telling you that I considered Merrill Staton a personal friend and have fond memories of the time I spent with him. His son, Joe, has been my best friend since 1978. Additionally I had the distinct honor of being the bugler at his graveside military honors. I am a large man with big hands but when he shook hands with me my hands were dwarfed. I have been told that the size of a person's clenched fist corresponds closely to the size of his heart. If that is an accurate staement then Merril had the biggest heart realistically as well as figuratively. He did not know a stranger and made you feels as a brother from the first moment you met him. I currently sing in a barbershop chorus and in planning stages to arrange some of his music for my chorus. Thanks for posting your request for information because it came up on my internet search for Merril this morning and has made already made my day richer for the memories that you have inspired.
Mike Nelson, Wathena, KS
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