The quartet was originally formed during the summer of 1982.  We are a registered quartet with the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Incorporated.  Our goal as a quartet is to produce a good solid barbershop sound, become a good performing quartet, and have fun doing it.

 Our bass, Bob Kaes, hails from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, but has been a Colorado transplant since 1967.  He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a BA and taught junior high mathematics and science for 10 years.  He is currently a computer specialist and lives with his wife, Marilyn, and cat, Maggie, in Wheat Ridge.  Both of their sons are grown, married, and out of the house.  They have one granddaughter, and a grandson. 

 Our baritone, Rex Abelein, and his wife Anne have four kids and ten grandchildren.  He was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, received his BA from Minot State College and a Masters degree from CU.  He is a retired school teacher (35 years) starting in a country school then moving to the city. He has also been active as a high school and college competitive swimming official.

Our lead, Jack Cozzens, is from Akron, Ohio and received his BEE at the University of Akron.  Advanced studies at the University of Connecticut produced a MS in Electrical Engineering.  He recently retired from Martin Marietta as a rocket scientist after being employed by Anaconda Copper and Univac.  Jack and his wife, Judy, live in Littleton.  They have three grown children and six grand children.

 We must be rough on tenors.  Our newest Tenor (our fifth) is Roger Taylor.  Roger was born at Provo, Utah, moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1948, and now resides in Dillon, Colorado since 1982.  He retired for Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) after 38 years. He and his wife Gail have been married 37 years and have two grown daughters.  Roger started barbershopping in 1949 (eighth grade), and joined the Society in the mid sixties.  He let his membership lapse when he moved to Dillon, and rejoined when he retired.  He has been a member of two registered quartets and is the tenor section leader in the chorus.

At one of our performances, Jack introduced us and then commented that it was amazing that the four of us with such diverse backgrounds could actually sing Barbershop.  At that point in the program a slight, elderly lady in the first row was overheard to say, "I sure hope you can sing because God knows you're not much to look at."  This is still true today.  We all enjoy the sound of Barbershop Harmony and love to ring the chords.   All of us are members of the Denver MountainAires Barbershop Chorus.