As much a part of American culture as Old Glory, Mom and apple pie, barbershop quartet singing is an original American musical art form. It thrives today through the efforts of an organization called the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Though the roots of four-part harmony go back more than a century, it was not until the near-accidental formation of the Society that barbershop quartet music was actively promoted. The Society's founding was whimsical, but it takes its mission to "Keep The Whole World Singing" very seriously indeed.