The Idlers
Encyclopedia
The Idlers of the United States Coast Guard Academy
(USCGA) are an all-male collegiate
a cappella
ensemble specializing in the performance of sea shanties
and patriotic music.
vocal group at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. Membership is attained through annual auditions overseen by the current members and the director. Group size varies based on current requirements, but generally includes between 12 and 20 men. The ideal group includes 3 or 4 members for each part: Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, and Bass. The group began in 1957 with 14 singers, two of which were freshman (4/c cadets). The Idlers have an elected President, who historically was the "pitch" and leads rehearsals in the absence of the director. The Vice President was the "vice-pitch", also an elected position.
and began building their repertoire and fame. In the fall of 1957, the Idlers membership was extended to all Academy classes, as reflected in this photo, taken several months thereafter. Within two years the Idlers had recorded three vinyl albums (for both the Design and MGM labels), and had performed for President and Mrs. Eisenhower
at the White House and on The Bell Telephone Hour (NBC) .
, a splinter group known as The New London Trio performed with guitar, upright bass, and banjo. The Idlers sang at the re-internment of Captain Hopley Yeaton
, the father of the Coast Guard, on October 19, 1975 . The Idlers made an appearance on Saturday Night Live
on February 28, 1976, where Leon Redbone
was the musical guest, and the hostess Jill Clayburgh
sang "Sea Cruise" backed by the group. During the Academy centennial in 1976, several reunion attendees and other Idlers living nearby performed at a black tie dinner held at the Norwich Sheraton - arguably the first reunion of past and present members on the same stage. In January 1977 the Idlers performed at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the American History Museum associated with the Presidential Inauguration of Jimmy Carter.
at Walt Disney World, and at the Palm Beach International Polo Club
. The Idlers performed at three Balls during President George H. W. Bush's Inauguration in 1989.
in Mobile, AL, and the military tribute ball in Dallas, TX. With the start of the Gulf War, The Idlers supported dozens of USO functions throughout the country, with notable performances in and around New York City
, at Ellis Island, and at Fisher's Island in Miami, FL. The Idlers were in such great demand that several quartets were formed, featuring one vocalist for each of the 4 parts. Singing Valentines, intimate dinner parties, accent performances for Flag Dinners - nothing was too small for an Idlers Quartet. The Idlers marched in the November 22, 1990 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
with Miss America
1991, Marjorie Vincent. The group performed throughout Washington D.C. during President William J. Clinton's Inauguration in 1993. The group sang aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid
as part of the October 24, 1995 tribute to slain leader Yitzhak Rabin
.
40th Year Reunion
50th Year Reunion
Regular favorites
), the harmonica
(or mouth organ), spoons, washboard, tin whistle, and squeeze-bulb klaxon horn.
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
(USCGA) are an all-male collegiate
Collegiate a cappella
Collegiate a cappella ensembles are student-run and -directed singing groups that perform entirely without instruments. Such groups can be found at many colleges and universities in the United States, and increasingly worldwide....
a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
ensemble specializing in the performance of sea shanties
Sea shanty
A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...
and patriotic music.
Overview
A relatively exclusive group with a history and traditions similar to many fraternal organizations, the Idlers are the only all-male a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
vocal group at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. Membership is attained through annual auditions overseen by the current members and the director. Group size varies based on current requirements, but generally includes between 12 and 20 men. The ideal group includes 3 or 4 members for each part: Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, and Bass. The group began in 1957 with 14 singers, two of which were freshman (4/c cadets). The Idlers have an elected President, who historically was the "pitch" and leads rehearsals in the absence of the director. The Vice President was the "vice-pitch", also an elected position.
Founding
The Idlers were formed in 1957 by eight members of the USCGA Class of 1959 on summer cruise. They quickly drew the attention of the Academy's bandmaster Don JanseDon Janse
Don Janse was a famous vocal director and arranger from Old Lyme, Connecticut. He was best known for his work at the United States Coast Guard Academy, where he directed The Idlers from 1957 until his retirement in 1987. Over the years he entertained Presidents and Kings.In later years he directed...
and began building their repertoire and fame. In the fall of 1957, the Idlers membership was extended to all Academy classes, as reflected in this photo, taken several months thereafter. Within two years the Idlers had recorded three vinyl albums (for both the Design and MGM labels), and had performed for President and Mrs. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
at the White House and on The Bell Telephone Hour (NBC) .
1960s
Don Janse went back to school in the early 1960s and John Heffermann briefly directed the Idlers. When Don returned he brought a number of new tunes which would soon become Idlers staples, including arrangements of Banua, The First Time I Ever, and the Coast Guard Hymn.1970s
The 1970s saw a resurgence of interest in folk music. Patterned after The Kingston TrioThe Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
, a splinter group known as The New London Trio performed with guitar, upright bass, and banjo. The Idlers sang at the re-internment of Captain Hopley Yeaton
Hopley Yeaton
Hopley Yeaton was the first officer commissioned under the Constitution of the United States by George Washington into the Revenue Cutter Service which is the forerunner of the modern day United States Coast Guard...
, the father of the Coast Guard, on October 19, 1975 . The Idlers made an appearance on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on February 28, 1976, where Leon Redbone
Leon Redbone
Leon Redbone is a singer and guitarist specializing in interpretations of early 20th-century music, including jazz and blues standards and Tin Pan Alley classics....
was the musical guest, and the hostess Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...
sang "Sea Cruise" backed by the group. During the Academy centennial in 1976, several reunion attendees and other Idlers living nearby performed at a black tie dinner held at the Norwich Sheraton - arguably the first reunion of past and present members on the same stage. In January 1977 the Idlers performed at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the American History Museum associated with the Presidential Inauguration of Jimmy Carter.
1980s
In both 1980 and 1982, The Idlers performed at Carnegie Hall during Eve Queler's performance of Wagner's Rienzi opera . The 1980s drew to a close with Don Janse's retirement in 1987. Dr. Robert Newton had been conducting the Idlers sister group, The Icebreakers, and now began directing both groups. Dr. Newton took the Idlers on their first annual tour of Florida in 1988, performing for Magic Music DaysMagic Music Days
Magic Music Days is a program put on by the Disneyland Resort, the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort Paris and the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. It brings in school and community groups to perform in the parks and/or take part in workshops or clinics...
at Walt Disney World, and at the Palm Beach International Polo Club
Palm Beach International Polo Club
The Palm Beach International Polo Club is one of the largest polo clubs in the world, and is located in Wellington, Florida. The club includes several natural grass polo fields, two of which are part of stadiums....
. The Idlers performed at three Balls during President George H. W. Bush's Inauguration in 1989.
1990s
In 1990, The Idlers supported the Coast Guard's Bicentennial celebration with performances at the Senior BowlSenior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
in Mobile, AL, and the military tribute ball in Dallas, TX. With the start of the Gulf War, The Idlers supported dozens of USO functions throughout the country, with notable performances in and around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, at Ellis Island, and at Fisher's Island in Miami, FL. The Idlers were in such great demand that several quartets were formed, featuring one vocalist for each of the 4 parts. Singing Valentines, intimate dinner parties, accent performances for Flag Dinners - nothing was too small for an Idlers Quartet. The Idlers marched in the November 22, 1990 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
with Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1991, Marjorie Vincent. The group performed throughout Washington D.C. during President William J. Clinton's Inauguration in 1993. The group sang aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Intrepid , also known as The Fighting "I", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She is the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in August 1943, Intrepid participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, most notably the Battle...
as part of the October 24, 1995 tribute to slain leader Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
.
40th Year Reunion
- 1998 saw the first stand-alone reunion of The Idlers. Conceived and executed by Edward "Cherry" Beale, I'92, the reunion spanned an entire weekend in April. An opening dinner was hosted at The Griswold InnThe Griswold InnThe Griswold Inn, located in Essex, Connecticut, is the oldest continuously-run tavern in the United States of America . Founded by three brothers in the late 18th century, it has been under the stewardship of only 6 families. The Inn was captured by British troops and used as a base of operations...
in Essex, ConnecticutEssex, ConnecticutEssex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,505 at the 2000 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.- History :- The Great Attack :...
on Friday night. Some remarked that this was the retirement dinner Don Janse never got. Saturday was filled with rehearsals for the reunion concert in Leamy Hall. The audience was full, and the show was opened by ForebitterForebitterForebitter is an American band with an international following specializing in sea shanties. It consists of four "chanteymen" employed by Mystic Seaport museum in Mystic, Connecticut, United States: Geoff Kaufman, Rick Spencer, David Littlefield, and Craig Edwards...
of Mystic SeaportMystic SeaportMystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic, Connecticut, is notable both for its collection of sailing ships and boats, and for the re-creation of crafts and fabric of an entire 19th century seafaring village...
. Performances by the current Idlers, quartets, and Trios filled the middle of the program. John Heffermann, then Don Janse took turns conducting the combined 50-voice ensemble. Bob Newton finished the program, then handed out awards and recognition.
2000s
The group traveled to New Orleans for a November 9, 2001 USO concert . The Idlers performed from the Parade of Roses' Abe Lincoln float on New Year's day, 2004 . The city of Fort Worth, Texas declared January 13, 2006 to be USCG Academy day in honor of a performance by The Idlers. - Members of the group performed a patriotic salute and the National Anthem in Browns Stadium to a sold out crowd on September 9, 2007.50th Year Reunion
- The 50th year reunion was held April 18, 2008 at the Griswold InnThe Griswold InnThe Griswold Inn, located in Essex, Connecticut, is the oldest continuously-run tavern in the United States of America . Founded by three brothers in the late 18th century, it has been under the stewardship of only 6 families. The Inn was captured by British troops and used as a base of operations...
, and April 19, 2008 at the Coast Guard Academy. Thirty nine men returned to pay tribute to the 50 classes of graduates, and five decades of spreading goodwill through song.
2010s
The Idlers started their 6th full decade with a week-long tour of Italy in March 2010. A recording from a cathedral in Italy served as the basis for their latest CD.General
The Idlers memorize all their music. The repertoire varies from year to year but typically is heavy on Sea Chanteys and patriotic tunes. The occasional show tune and holiday song round out the mix. The Sea Chanty list is weighted towards capstan songs. Several numbers feature soloists, but a principal concern of all Idlers is the ability to blend well. No individual voice stands out, as they work together to create a smooth and pleasing harmony.Repertoire
Core numbers- Banua
- Eternal Father
- Alma Mater
- Mingulay Boat SongMingulay Boat SongThe "Mingulay Boat Song" was a sea shanty supposed to have been sung by Scottish fishermen as they returned from the Atlantic towards the Isle of Mingulay. However, the Isle of Mingulay was abandoned in 1912, and therefore the song cannot be authentic to the isle's fishing community. The lyrics...
- The Rattlin' BogThe Rattlin' BogThe Rattlin' Bog is a popular Irish folk song about a bog in a valley, and the contents of it. The song is a cumulative song, similar to The Twelve Days of Christmas, as it has a list at the end of each verse which grows throughout the piece...
- The Armed Forces Medley
Regular favorites
- 10,000 Miles Away
- The Idlers Song
- South Australia
- High Barbaree
- A Whale of a Tale
- Drunken SailorDrunken SailorDrunken Sailor is a traditional sea shanty also known as What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?It begins with the question, "What shall we do with a drunken sailor, early in the morning?" Each verse thereafter suggests a method of sobering—or castigating, or simply abusing—the sailor.The song...
- Eddystone LightEddystone LighthouseEddystone Lighthouse is on the treacherous Eddystone Rocks, south west of Rame Head, United Kingdom. While Rame Head is in Cornwall, the rocks are in Devon and composed of Precambrian Gneiss....
- The Wild RoverThe Wild RoverThe Wild Rover is a popular folk song whose origins are contested.According to Professor T. M. Devine in his book The Scottish Nation 1700 - 2000 the song was written as a temperance song. The song is found printed in a book, The American Songster, printed in the USA by W.A...
Discography
(incomplete, reference)- Sing Along with The Idlers, 1960, Pickwick
- Americana, 1960, Pickwick
- Blow Ye Winds (with CGA Singers), 1960, MGM
- Songs of Action (with CGA Singers), 1965?, MGM
- Good Times Are Not Over, 1968, CGA
- Songs of Seas and Waterways (with CGA Singers), 1976, CGA
- A Seabag of Songs (with CGA Singers), 1977, CGA
- Cadet Music (with Icebreakers), 1993, CGA
- Cadet Music (with Icebreakers), 1997, CGA
- USCGA Cadet Glee Glub (with Icebreakers), 2004, CGA
- Ten Thousand Miles Away, 2006, CGA
Instruments
Some performances are augmented by various instruments. An upright bass, banjo, and 12-string guitar are typical - these instruments were the staple of the New London Trio in the mid and late 1970s. Over the years, The Idlers have also performed with a squeezebox (or concertinaConcertina
A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
), the harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
(or mouth organ), spoons, washboard, tin whistle, and squeeze-bulb klaxon horn.
Notable and famous Idlers
- Edward K. Beale, I'92, Commander, helicopter pilot, Idlers historian
- Gary BloreGary BloreGary T. Blore is a Rear Admiral of the United States Coast Guard. As of July 2009, he is the Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District.Blore attended the Coast Guard Academy, and graduated in 1975...
, I'75, Rear Admiral (Bio) - Dan BurbankDaniel C. BurbankDaniel Christopher Burbank is an American astronaut and a veteran of two space shuttle missions. Burbank, a Captain in the United States Coast Guard, is the second Coast Guard astronaut after Bruce Melnick....
, I'85, Captain, Astronaut (Bio), musicianMax Q (Astronaut band)Max Q is a Houston-based rock band whose members are all astronauts. It was formed in early 1987 by Robert L. Gibson, George Nelson and Brewster Shaw. Gibson named the band after "max Q," the engineering term for the maximum dynamic pressure from the atmosphere experienced by an ascending... - Everett Rollins, I'79, Captain
- Jerry Cronin, I'80, Musician (Dramtreeo Site)
- Nicholas Dujmovic, I'80, Historian & Author (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0080359698/)
- Frank GiampietroFrank GiampietroFrank Giampietro is an American poet. He is author of Begin Anywhere . He is the 2010-2012 resident scholar at The Southern Review and has had poems, book reviews, and nonfiction published in many literary journals and magazines including 32 Poems, Columbia Poetry Review, CutBank, Exquisite...
, I'91, Poet (http://www.frankgiampietro.com/) - Richard Healing, I'62, Member: NTSB (Article / Article);
- Joel Sipes, I'59, Rear Admiral
- Joseph Vorbach, I'59, Rear Admiral (Bio)