Ask any seasoned barbershopper and he's likely to tell you that the guys in his chapter are - for better or worse-- practically family. Family matters are a pretty big part of our experience and community and, in fact, most of our members are stalwart family men. But for Jim and Michael Steiner--this month's Spotlight featured BACmen -- the history, the talent and contributions they bring to the Big Apple Chorus are truly more than a family enterprise.

For this affable father and son duo, working and playing together on the same team, doing something they both do well and both love, adds another dimension beyond the music that draws them each week to the Big Apple Chorus. It's an additional benefit that the spirit of their bond is mixed into the seasoning of the BAC's own culture and esprit de corps.

They both grew up surrounded by singers and singing. Jim's aunt and grandmother were opera singers and Jim's father was a capable singer as well. Michael recalls his adolescent mortification when his dad Jim, like Jim's dad, would burst into song for anyone, anywhere.

Jim (a charming, expressive and extroverted natural lead) started singing about age three. It was the attention and positive feedback that drew him into singing and kept him at it: first grammar school musicals, then a high school barbershop quartet ("Close Shave"), then Brown University's male a cappella group - The Jabberwocks ('55 lead), and on to community theater, followed (after hearing the Eastern Aires at a Montclair show in the '70s) by three decades in the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Michael (also an easy, outgoing, sociable guy) grew up with the same musical predispositions- singing as a kid in school plays and chorus, and singing show tunes at home while his mother accompanied him on piano. However, unlike his dad, he stopped singing temporarily in his early teens. Peer and social pressure redirected his youthful energy to the other great love of both the Steiners - sports!

It's not surprising that Jim and Michael, who now choose to sing in a competitive musical group, are competitive sportsmen too. Jim is an active softball player on --not one but --- three teams! Michael, in his teens was a nationally ranked, Division One, New Jersey State Champion racquetball player. In college he rowed, and was on the track and soccer teams. Just when he actually attended classes at George Washington University is anyone's guess! It's that competitive drive and the challenge for self-improvement that keeps "Team Steiner" so engaged in the Big Apple Chorus today.

Their membership in the chorus goes back nearly to the chapter's inception in the early '80s. Jim transferred from the Montclair Dapper Dans, and Michael (then about 18 then and living with his mom) found it a good time to return to singing and a good way to spend time with his dad. From their performances at international conventions with the Chorus, they both proudly hold Bronze medals from '84 (St. Louis) and '85 (Minneapolis) and 2nd place Silver medals from Hartford won in 1987,

Until recently Michael was on a leave of absence to start a successful multi-national, fabric print design business Michael Miller Fabrics, LLC and to start a family. He lives in Manhattan with his beautiful and musically supportive Brazilian wife (his company's copyright attorney) Camilla and their beaming 2-year old son, Sam. Jim, who lives in New Jersey has been continuously active as a member since first joining the Chapter. Jim has also been in numerous registered quartets (Nassau Blend, The Chosen and, most recently, The Sugar Daddies).

Since Michael's return to the chorus last year, he has, like his dad, been an important contributor to the chapter's operations and its "look". Jim, a costume supplier by trade, has been taking care of the chorus's costume requirements for nearly 20 years, during which time he has generously provided expertise and exclusive custom work other groups could only dream of having. Similarly, Michael has been donating his time and fabric design expertise (in conjunction with Steve Adams' design work) and production experience to create and partly subsidize the new custom materials for the shirts that Jim is having made for us for the '05 International Convention. What a team, indeed!

When I asked the two men, "What draws your team of two to our weekly rehearsals besides the chance to excel at something that's as natural as mother's milk to you," Jim replies thoughtfully, "I love Joe-- that gentle soul-- (our Director) and the whole team." Then Jim adds emphatically "It's the people…it's the sound and, of course (he smiles proudly) it's my son". Michael smiles back at us as sweetly as his own young son, Sam.

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Steve Adams	Dan George	Gabe Butler	Glynn Fluitt	Jim and Michael Steiner

Scott Brannon	Gary Ford	Brad Verebay	Vinny Haynes	Frank Hendricks	The Patricias

Bob Kovach	Joe Husstege	Gordon Harrison	Roger Payne	Dick White

John Gouveia	Pat Kelly