When he passed, Rog was surrounded by his wife Nancy, son Kyle, brother Brian (and his wife), and, appropriately, by the other members of Reveille, his beloved quartet.

Each of us has special memories of Roger who was a Founding Member and guiding light behind the BAC. His Barbershop accomplishments include singing in 2 Mid Atlantic District Championship quartets, the legendary 4 Under Par, and Reveille, as well as the highly entertaining Variety Pak. He served as Associate Director of the Big Apple Chorus, and Director of Brooklyn Chapter's Amazing Kings Chorus. He was a Certified Music Judge, and served as the Society's Music Category Specialist where he helped to re-write and re-define the Music category. Roger served as the Director and Coach of the HI Women of Note Chorus in Massachutses. There is so much more that I am sure I am forgetting in this very sad moment. But always, in whatever he did, Roger's brilliance, wit, and superb musicianship were on immediate display. Less obvious to those who didn;t know him, was his great humanity and love for all his fellow Barbershoppers. Rog would sing with anyone who asked, as evidenced by the sheer number of Novice quartets that Rog was part of in competition at the Division level. He embodied the term "encouragement" that appears in SPEBSQSA's formal title.

We have all lost a friend, a mentor, and a role model. We will not see his like again. May he rest in peace, and in eternal harmony. We extend our most sincere condolances to Nancy, Kyle, Rory, and the Payne family.

Visitation for Roger Payne will take place at the Conway Funeral Home, 8219 Northern Blvd, Flushing on Thursday and Friday, 2-5 & 7-9 PM. The BAC will gather, as a chorus, on Friday evening at the funeral home to pay tribute to its Founding Member and Associate Director.

Please arrive by 7:30. The Chorus will sing Danny Boy and Irish Blessing at the wake.

A Solemn Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday ay 10:15 AM, at St Joan of Arc RC Church, 8200 35th Ave, Jackson Heights, just a few blocks from the funeral home. The BAC will sing Irish Blessing at the Mass.

Click here for a map.

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Wendy 
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 23:03:58 -0400
Subject: [bbshop] Roger Payne and Memories of our Very Special NYC Adventure

I am so incredibly saddened to have just come home from quartet
rehearsal - where we were actually sharing memories of a special trip we
made to see Roger in NYC this past April when his cancer resurfaced - to
find an email letting us know he had passed. We knew he was very ill
and it was just a matter of time but it still hurts so much - he was a
wonderful man and a good friend. Thank you Reveille for being by his
side . this must be such a difficult time for all of you and Roger's
family. Much love and prayers to you all.

Following is an email I sent to my chorus just after we saw Roger in NY.
I thought this may be a good time and place to share it as well.

With a very heavy heart,

Wendy McCoole
Baritone, Exhilaration (2005 HI Champs . thanks in large part to Roger)

-----Original Message-----
From: Wendy 
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 10:23 AM
To: SoundsoftheSeacoast@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Quartet
Subject: Roger Payne and Our Great NYC Adventure

SoS,

I wanted to share something I had the privilege of experiencing this
week with Exhilaration and Synchronicity.

Some of you know Roger Payne. He is a coach and dear friend that both
quartets share . and he is going through brain cancer. It's not the
good kind . I guess there really just isn't a good kind. He's on his
third regimen of chemo and the two quartets decided impromptu last week
to take a drive to NYC, where he lives and is getting his treatments,
and surprise him.

My sister lied through her teeth to set the whole thing up but the end
result was awesome. Here we were . eight of us . in an incredible
Jewish deli in downtown Manhattan just waiting for him to finish his
infusion and walk through the door. His face was priceless. The
emotion was palpable among all of us. And there we sat for 2.5 hours
laughing and singing and helping our brother to forget how he felt and
to remind him how much we loved him.

After he left the two quartets stood in a circle in the middle of the
deli, held hands, sang Irish Blessing and cried. We are all so blessed
to have music and these wonderful friendships in our lives.

I put some photos of our NYC trip on our website if anyone is
interested. 
http://www.exhilarationquartet.com/photos_friends.htm.

Love,

Wendy

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Brian 
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:07:34 -0000
Subject: [bbshop] Re: Passing of Roger Payne

A genius.. a pal... a true "character"... and absolutely his own
man... Rog was a model of intellectual integrity, willing to engage in
any debate with skill, open ears and the rare ability to concede that
the other guy might be right.

For years he and I joked about our dream quartet, a combination of the
most geographically inaccessible guys we knew, who would meet only on
contest day. Now, it seems "The Transcontinentals" must give way to
"The Transcendentals."

A better, richer quartet awaits us all. God bless and good night, Rog.

Brian

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Russell 
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:30:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [bbshop] Re: Passing of Roger Payne

I had just planned to go see him tonight, just to find out of his
passing as I read my daily emails. I am truly saddened today,
but found memories of Roger will never be forgotten.

When I was in the process of moving to NYC, Roger asked me to
be part of a pickup quartet at a wedding for the daughter of
a fellow barbershopper. As it turns out, she was part of the
New York Opera Company. I was still going back and forth from
Washington, DC, but for Roger I hopped on a train and came up to
put on a great wedding reception. Along with Mark Paul, Brad
Verebay, Roger and myself we ended up singing for hours on the
streets of NYC, and I was loving every minute of it.

Roger was quick to help a quartet in need, and when you asked
him to check an arrangement he would return with "okay, sing it".
He will missed by me, but never forgotten.

Scott Russell Big Apple Chorus

----------------------------------------------------------

Fromm: ENau@comcast.net
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:12:54 +0000
Subject: [bbshop] RIP Yankee Fan

He was a Yankee fan, and I'm a Red Sox fan . . . that should have
been enough for me to keep my distance. But . . .

I first saw this guy in Salt Lake City in 1980 with a quartet called
4 Under Par, and all he did was drop his pants. Big deal! He made
the top ten, and I didn't even compete. Then I found out about the
Yankee thing and knew that I should avoid him . . . I really tried
not to laugh. We were already too much like the teams we cheered
for: he was a winner, and I an also-ran.

Later, he appeared on many shows with my favorites, the Boston
Common, and his antics in the quartet were such that the Common
refused to follow them any more. Like any good Boston boys, they
knew not to allow the Yankee influence to interfere. I applauded
their decision while stifling a couple of laughs . . . or at least
trying to. I learned from the Common never to try to one-up a master
at his craft. That was shortly after Bucky Dent had destroyed yet
another Red Sox' dream . . . I went back to distrusting the master
of laughter, my personal arch-enemy - the Yankee fan.

Still later, I found myself teaching at Harmony College with this
Yankee fan and obvious New Yorker, and finding myself drawn in to
some great conversations with a guy heretofore known only to me as
a comedian. New York Yankee fans are like that . . . very tricky
. . . I had to watch my step, or I would have been convinced the guy
really was a genius. But, New York geniuses? Please . . . he was
a Yankee fan!! How could be possibly be any good? But, strangely
enough, I always wanted to be around him more and more each time
we met.

Once, I found myself on a judging panel in Dixie with Steve
Delehanty (another Yankee fan . . . hmmmmmmm), Dave LaBar, Bill
Biffle, Shannon Elswick and the penultimate Yankee fan . . . what a
hoot as we upstaged the emcee as he attempted to deliver his punch
lines. Every one of his jokes was one we had all heard before! So,
we blurted the punch lines out in unison as the audience howled. I
hoped no one noticed that I was consorting with not one, but TWO
Yankee fans. What a contest! What a way to learn that both these
Yankee fans were really okay . . . and one of them could really
deliver when it counted. I almost forgot about the curse of the
Bambino. (Almost)

The Yankee fan's latest quartet, Reveille, should have been a
wake-up call in more ways than one. He had me in stitches a couple
of times as they invented new ways each year to introduce the
alphabet to the audience . . . one letter at a time. Now, perhaps
our Yankee fan will sing in another quartet called Taps, one that
will allow him to rest in peace, for his day is done . . . much
too soon. Funny how he lived his life as a consistent winner, but
left us far too early like the Red Sox do so often in the stretch.

Despite his Yankee-fandom and my Red Sox (rhymes with flops)
addiction, we always found a way to keep the conversation
lively. Now, I am left to carry on a rivalry with no rival. Just
like a Yankee fan to deprive a Boston guy of a chance to win
. . . and I am the poorer for it. Ours was a relationship built on
east-coast jabs and not-so-subtle gags. In short, it was great. I'll
never forget hearing him ask others what the secret to comedy
was . . . and then watching folks try to deliver long, erudite
definitions, only to have him say, "Yeah, but is it funny?" Classic.

Rest in Peace, Roger . . . and Godspeed to those of us who will
see and hear him every time we sing one of his arrangements. I'll
bet the next time I see him, he'll be wearing pin stripes just to
rub my nose in it a little more. I sure hope so, for I will miss
those moments very much.

Yankee fans are like that . . .

Ev Nau

----------------------------------------------------------

From: reneesil27@aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:12:44 EDT
Subject: [bbshop] Our Dear Friend Roger

Harmonetters,

There are countless stories many of can share about Roger Payne and we will.
The reason: because he shared so much of himself with us.

Twenty-five years of his friendship is not enough for me so I'll just keep
him in my heart and mind for the rest of the time I have left on this earth.

Rest well, my friend.

Renee Silverstein
Director, Poughkeepsie Newyorkers Chorus, NED
Asst. Director, Golden Apple Chorus, Region 15 SAI

----------------------------------------------------------

From: bobmorrissey_98 
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:38:58 -0000
Subject: [bbshop] Re Roger Payne: Let's rejoice

How wonderful to know that Roger's suffering at last is over! How happy
we can be that this burden is lifted from him, his family, his quartet
buddies, and all the rest of us who carried at least a small measure of
it, too. He was a creative genius in the barbershop world. How great it
is to have known him.

Bob Morrissey

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Ehink557@aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 13:09:29 EDT
Subject: [bbshop] Rog

Boy! He really has a nerve. He didn't answer my last email. Sheesh already. I
always answered his. Guess I'll know better next time..................,
trouble is.....there won't ever be a next time. Sure wish there
were..........................

Rog good buddy, save me a place on the risers with you. I already know the
music. You taught me like so many others. You had a kindness that was always
guaranteed....no matter what. Trouble is, I just didn't get enough.

Kinda like my mother's devils food cake. There just never seemed to be enough
for me. There was a lot of love in that cake.

Be with God my friend......see you soon.

Ed Hinkley
Sarasota, Florida
51 yr. Member
Arranger/Songwriter
Chorus Hall of Fame
Chorus BOTY
Friend to Barbershop Harmony

A wisdom in the world of man that always seems to cling
Among the many who would wish to hear the sound,
Is the sweetness of the moment when you here somebody sing
For music soothes the savage beast the world around.
E.D.Ward

----------------------------------------------------------

From: mike@dallasknights.com
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 17:27:47 +0000
Subject: [bbshop] Our Dear Friend Roger

It wasn't too difficult being the family rebel as a teenager.
If my Mom and Dad liked something, I would despise it. Naturally.
Barbershop music? Puh-lease! Just throw it on the pile with the
wide lapels and plaid doubleknit pants. Yuck!

Dad would take me to guest nights when I was in High School
and College. But every time I'd listen to his small Chapter
on Long Island, I was nonplussed. Barbershop music was great
for him, not for me. Barbershop was OK for my kid Brother,
though who joined the Society as a youngster. But I always
thought he was just joining to suck up to dear old Dad. I
was into Yes, Rush, Led Zep and The Beatles. (Now THERE'S a
quartet!) If it didn't have a SCREAMING guitar solo or a Moog
Synthesizer, don't even bother putting it on the turntable.

I had moved to Houston after college and was visiting my
old stomping ground, Labor Day weekend 1983. After seeing
a Broadway show matinee, I suggested to my girlfriend that it
might be fun to visit my Dad's brand new Chapter, The Big
Apple Chorus. As I sat in the audience, I was amazed! This
was a POWERHOUSE of 140+ guys under the direction of Don
Clause. BAC was preparing for what ended up to be its first
MAD Championship and were SMOKING! The small church meeting
room could barely fit them all and when they sang a big tag,
I swear the entire place shook to its foundation. This was
not the small chorus I had seen Dad sing with before. It got
my mind to thinking...but not too hard.

At the break, a slender man from the chorus with a New York
accent by the name of Roger Payne announced to us visitors
that he would be happy to audition us if we were interested
in becomming members of this ensemble. I got out of my chair
immediately. My girlfriend asked what I was doing. I replied
that I was going to audition. Since we lived in Houston, it
was TOTALLY safe. I could pass the audition, but there was no
way I could join. HA-HA! The jokes on them! At the same time,
I'm proving to Dad and kid Bro that I really CAN do this...but
only if I felt like it. After all, I stil have to maintain my
nonplussed outward appearance of course.

I follow Roger downstairs to the church basement where he sat
in front of a piano. A few intervals, scales, harmonizations
and one Star Spangled Banner later, I was in...but was I? All
along, I'm thinking to myself in a sing-songy way, "I live in
Hou-ston, I can-not jo-oin, Haaa-Haaa Ha-Haaa-Haaa..." Yep I
was feeling kinda cool just waiting for the ultimate punchline
where Roger sees my address on the application form and I can
tell him smugly, "Oh, so sorry. I live in Houston. I cannot
POSSIBLY be in your group. Thanks but, no thanks!"

At that point, Roger sees my little bombshell and exclaims:
"YEWSTIN?! YEWSTIN?! Listen to me. You gotta cawl Jawn Devine.
Make shoowa you tell him Roga Payne sez the Tidelandiz need
to PAY you to sing wit them! Got it?" I replied, "Tidelanders,
what's THAT?" "They're AWWESOME! That's what they are!" Roger
went on to explain about how the Tidelanders were another big
chorus with a bunch of GREAT guys who have earned all these
International medals! One of the best choruses in the world
was in my own back yard and I didn't even know it until now!
For the first time, I MIGHT have had an inkling of an interest
in...Ba-bar-bar...sorry, I still couldn't say the word. When
I got back home after a few weeks of prodding from Dad, I was
ready to visit and subsequently join The Tidelanders. So truth
be told, I wouldn't be a Barbershopper if it weren't for my Dad
AND Roger Payne!

Last year SWD was fortunate enough to have Roger on the coaching
staff for its August Top Gun School. At the closing session as
I'm recognizing the coaches for their hard work, I told the story
above. Roger smiled really big and said "I had no idea" almost
sheepishly as I gave him a big hug of thanks. Just goes to show
you, sometimes we touch each other's lives and make profound
differences in them without the slightest awareness of it. I was
lucky in this case. I got to thank Roger for helping me find a
life enriched with harmony where I have made thousands of
lifelong friends.

Just a thought. Contact that special person in your life that
got you into this "hobby" of ours and thank him or her. If this
person has passed onto the next plane, raise your glass to the
heavens in a toast in this person's honor. We may not always agree
on what songs to sing, what groups are the all-time greats or who
won the last contest, but we can all agree that we're all better
off because one day a while back, someone caused a spark somewhere
in your soul that ignited into a flame of four-part harmony. Maybe
we all should do this in Roger's memory. I know I will with a bunch
of my VM Brothers Thursday night. Rest in peace and thanks again
dear friend.

Mike

*****************************************

Michael I. Borts
President - QCA (Quartet Champs Assn. of SWD)
SWD Top Gun School Director
SWD QUICC DIrector
Standing Ovation Program Reviewer
SWD Barbershopper of the Year 1999
Dallas Knights - Lead www.dallasknights.com
The Vocal Majority

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Rich Galdi 
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:30:17 -0400
Subject: [bbshop] Fw: [E-BAC] Roger's Funeral Arrangements

To all barbershoppers, please read the email below with information about
the arrangements for our brother Roger Payne. Be there if you can and sing a
tribute with us and celebrate his life with the music we all love.

Those BAC members who were there from the beginning and know what impact and
influence Rog had, join us in this moment for a final thanks to one of a
kind who rarely will pass our way again.

To all Harmonet members please forward this email to your internal HI, SA
and BHS chapter email lists for those people not in touch with the H-Net so
they too will have an opportunity to be with us.

Thanks
Rich
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan George" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 2:03 PM
Subject: [E-BAC] Roger's Funeral Arrangements

> Visitation for Roger Payne will take place at the Conway Funeral Home,
> 8219 Northern Blvd, Flushing on Thursday and Friday, 2-5 & 7-9 PM. The BAC
> will gather, as a chorus, on Friday evening at the funeral home to pay
> tribute to its Founding Member and Associate Director. Please arrive by
> 7:30. The Chorus will sing Danny Boy and Irish Blessing at the wake.
>
> A Solemn Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday ay 10:15 AM, at St Joan
> of Arc RC Church, 8200 35th Ave, Jackson Heights, just a few blocks from
> the funeral home. The BAC will sing Irish Blessing at the Mass.
>
> Please pass the word to any and all BACMEN and other area Barbershoppers
> that you may speak with.
>
> Dan George
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> BAC Web Site
> Visit the Big Apple Chorus Website regularly:
> http://www.BigAppleChorus.com

----------------------------------------------------------

From: Carolyn Schmidt 
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 13:30:24 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: [bbshop]

I just learned of Roger Payne's passing and feel I must add to
the outpouring of shared memories for this talented and generous
barbershopper. Not only has Roger made so many of us laugh and enjoy
performances of barbershop music over the past several decades, but
he has generously given his time to the education of our youth in
this precious artform. Over the past five years, I've had the honor
of working with Roger as he and Reveille have served as faculty for
the Festival of Harmony in Rahway, NJ. His musical contribution and
love of performance has always come through to the young singers,
and we always remember him for the great person that he was.

Carolyn Schmidt
Director, Hickory Tree Chorus
Certified Music Arranger

----------------------------------------------------------

From: JHunna1@AOL.COM
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:30:50 EDT
Subject: [bbshop] Roger - Details

As promised - here are the details for Roger's sevices.

Visitation for Roger will take place at the Conway Funeral Home,
82-19 Northern Blvd, Flushing New York on Thursday and Friday, 2-5 & 7-9 PM.

A Solemn Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday ay 10:15 AM, at St
Joan of Arc RC Church, 8200 35th Ave, Jackson Heights, just a few blocks
from the funeral home.

The family has asked that any contributions should be made to:

The Brain Tumor Foundation
1350 Avenue of the Americas Suite 1200
New York, NY 10019

I have been collecting up the messages of condolence and support I have been
recieving and will be presenting these to Roger's sons, Kyle and Rory. The
depth and breadth of sentiment expressed has been both overwhelming and
uplifting - on behalf of Rogs family I thank you for that...

God bless you all

Joe H