Music at Faith for Today Andrews University Music at Southwestern Adventist University

28 Pages·2008·3.26 MB·English

Music at
Faith for Today
Andrews University
Wind Symphony Tours in Europe
Music at
Southwestern Adventist
University
S A
ummer/ utumn 2007
President’s Message
an account of the music department from in this issue, the story of music at Faith
its very beginning to the present, when for Today; insight about music in Brazil
it, like music departments at our other and at Montemorelos University; and
schools, has become a significant center of others. All of this in addition to presenting
music for its students and the surrounding ongoing news about the current Adventist
community. music scene.
To give us a better sense of the And as we express our appreciation
immensity of this undertaking and what to Professor Shultz for what he has shared
its completion means, I am listing each with us, we reach out with gratitude to all
school separately: you who continue to give of your best to
your students. we congratulate you and
AnDrewS UnIverSITy pray God’s continued blessings as you
ATLAnTIC UnIOn COLLeGe share your love for the beauty in music
COLUMBIA UnIOn COLLeGe with your students and with us who listen.
Elsie Landon Buck LA SIerrA UnIverSITy May good music continue to be a
OAKwOOD COLLeGe central part of all of our lives, helping us
It is my special privilege on behalf of PACIFIC UnIOn COLLeGe to be more aware of our shared humanity.
all IAMA members to express our deep SOUTHern ADvenTIST May it continue to grace our lives and
appreciation to our editor, Professor Dan UnIverSITy provide a truly uplifting experience as we
Shultz. For the past six years he has been SOUTHweSTern ADvenTIST walk through this life.
providing detailed historical overviews of UnIverSITy Let us support one another and
each of the Music Departments in SDA UnIOn COLLeGe encourage all of those who teach in our
universities and colleges in the United wALLA wALLA UnIverSITy schools as we seek to present the best in
States. These presentations have given us great music and continue the great legacy
a remarkable insight into and an historical Thank you, Dan, for acquainting in music we have received from those who
understanding of all of these important us with our beginnings and the many preceded us. May all that we do glorify
music centers, a wealth of knowledge that, musicians who have played important God, who has given us this beautiful gift
until now, simply did not exist. roles in giving us the thriving music of music.
In this present issue, Professor programs we have today. you have also
Shultz takes us to Southwestern Adventist created, along the way, a biographical Elsie L. Buck
University in Keene, Texas, the tenth resource at our website with over a half-a-
presentation in this special series. This thousand Adventist musicians. And there
article, like those about our other schools, have been other presentations along the
has been carefully researched and provides way: music at the voice of Prophecy and,
CCOONNTTEENNTTSS
President’s Message 2 Music at Southwestern Adventist
The Trumpet Shall Sound . . . 3 University 13
Herbert Hohensee & Stan Schleenbaker 8 News 21
Andrews Uuniversity Wind Symphony Personal Notes 23
Tours in Europe 11 Photo Gallery 26
IAMA LOGO
IAMA’s logo, created in a few seconds with the quick movements of a writer’s quill, is a
cluster of notes from Beethoven’s sketchings for his Ninth Symphony.

Program film production in 1962, with William and Virginia Fagal and the quartet.
left to right:Larry Fillingham, Stan Schleenbaker, Herbert Hohensee ,and Don Siebenlist
The Trumpet Shall Sound . . .
Music at Faith for Today
Dan Shultz
For twenty-five years, William and Virginia Fagal produced and played leading roles in Faith for Today, the
groundbreaking Seventh-day Adventist television program. Both Fagals were musical, and in the telecast’s first sixteen
years they featured music similar to that used on the church’s successful radio broadcast The Voice of Prophecy. By
the end of its first year, the program was appearing on a national hook-up, the first religious telecast to enjoy that
distinction. The music and musicians in those formative years were a significant factor in the success of the
program and an important part of the church’s musical heritage in the 20th Century.
T
he countdown to the warm welcome. By the end of the relatively new medium of television.
telecast was unnerving, program, the Fagals were both elated In spite of their inexperience and few
but when the on- and exhausted. In only six weeks they guidelines to follow, they had succeeded
the-air light on the had chosen a name, decided on format in launching a religious broadcast
camera lit up, william and content, arranged for music, and enterprise for the Seventh-day Adventist
and virginia Fagal were prepared, prepared themselves for hosting and church that has continued in various
ready to greet their viewers with a starring in a religious program on the forms for over a half-century.

Fagal, a pastor-evangelist in This conversation led naturally into and bass; walter Isensee, a friend
the new york City area since remarks by Fagal and observations of the Fagals, as second tenor; and
1944, had been doing a radio about Daniel 2. Music by the quartet a student from westminster Choir
program on Sundays for the past six was interspersed throughout the College singing baritone. when school
years. In late 1949, he began a serious program and at the end, after virginia resumed at the end of the summer, the
discussion with a leader at the General had invited listeners to send for a free three students left the quartet.
Conference about the value of having Bible course. Herbert Hohensee, a music
a television program, convinced this while the telecast’s initial and teacher from Union College who
was a medium with a great future. evolving format, with its shared hosting was on a graduate study leave at
wABC-Tv in nyC was looking by the Fagals, interviews, discussions, westminster, joined the quartet as
for programs to fill their schedule, dramatic skits, and commentaries baritone in October on a part-time
and when the church contacted them differed from the church’s well- basis until February, when he was
early in 1950 about the idea of doing established and highly successful voice hired to sing full-time. Two non-
a religious telecast, they responded of Prophecy radio broadcast, its use of Adventist professionals were paid to
positively. Fagal was unaware of this a male quartet and organist reflected the sing during the year until the summer
contact until church leaders summoned influence of the vOP. of 1951, when Harold Lickey, first
him to a meeting in a new york City The success of the telecast in its tenor, and Lyle Jewell, bass, were
hotel in April. They told him they had first year led the General Conference hired to form what is now regarded as
signed a contract earlier that day with radio/Tv Committee to ask the vOP the first Faith for Today Quartet. This
wABC-Tv for a half-hour program to develop a west Coast version which group remained intact for the next
and wanted him to prepare one to be would not feature drama but be more three years.1
aired six weeks later! like an evangelistic meeting. Although Singing in the quartet was
The Fagals worked tirelessly in the program was developed and demanding and time consuming work.
the next six weeks, seeking advice presented, it was withdrawn within a The pressures on the members and
from the station staff and considering year of its debut, to the relief of those their young families, along with the
a number of options for content. at vOP who felt that it was impossible stress of living in or commuting to
Decisions were made on format and to do both a broadcast and telecast new york City, led to several quartet
features, an organist was chosen, and a effectively. personnel changes during its sixteen
male quartet was formed. years of existence. Stan Schleenbaker,
B
ecause of the rushed start who sang in the quartet in its final
T he centerpiece of the first for the east Coast telecast, years, recalled singing in five different
program was an interview the quartet singing on the quartets in his seven years with the
with walter ralls, a first program was an interim group group. Hohensee would become the
history teacher who talked about that included James Littlefield and member with the longest tenure,
current events in light of history norman round, students from Atlantic serving as group leader for thirteen
and his concerns about the future. Union College, singing first tenor years, until 1963.2

T he first organist, retta and Mary ellen Garden (later Byrd), and the increasing costs led to a
rippey valerio, was a was added to the program in 1952. confrontation at the 1952 Autumn
graduate of the Juilliard They took a year off from school and Council of the church, an annual
School of Music and organist in the sang as a regular feature through the meeting of church leaders.
washington Avenue SDA Church in autumn of 1953. Impassioned speeches were made
Brooklyn, where Fagal was pastor. against the use of drama, the program,
E
A friend of the Fagal family, having laine Giddings joined the and its spiraling cost. when
also worked with them in evangelistic FFT staff in 1951. A gifted the chair called for a vote, only two
meetings, valerio, along with robert writer and producer, she persons out of over 150 voted to
Quade, served as organist on Faith for helped create and prepare professional continue funding the telecast.
Today in its first two years. quality fifteen-minute dramatic skits, a The chair refused to declare the
She was followed in 1952 vote, asking the group if they
by Melvin west, who had just indeed did not want a television
graduated from emmanuel program sponsored by the
Missionary College, now church. Fagal was invited to
Andrews University. He played speak and pointed out how God
for one year before accepting had blessed the program and
a teaching position at Atlantic talked about its successful soul
Union College. winning efforts. After two other
Marjorie Hohensee, leaders also spoke in defense of
Herbert’s wife, and Mary continuing the program, another
Bidwell Haloviak then played vote was taken. The previous
organ as needed until 1963, action was was repudiated by
when van Knauss, a recent the same margin that had led to
graduate from Union College its earlier passage.3
The first Faith for Today quartet, Melvin West, organist, and
and the University of nebraska
Girl’s Trio with William and Virginia Fagal in 1952. A
became organist. He continued s the program
in that position until the spring Standing, left to right: Herbert Hohensee, Frances Bumby, Walter Isensee, Marilyn format continued
Cotton, Harld Lickey, Mary Ellen Byrd, Melvin West, and Lyle Jewell
of 1967. to evolve and the
while the quartet and organist key part of the program. production became more complex,
provided the musical base for the The use of drama, however, there were some harrowing moments,
program, other singers and groups also created a firestorm in conservative since the telecast was being presented
performed. One of these, a women’s Adventist circles, where it was live. A significant production step
trio from Southern Missionary regarded as an inappropriate part of was taken in 1955, when filming
College, later Southern Adventist an outreach program associated with the program in black and white
University, that included Frances the SDA church. After two years of began, creating what were known
Bumby, Marilyn Dillow (later Cotton), operation, feelings about this issue as kinescopes. In 1962, filming

in color began, an innovative and records for those who contributed SDA college campuses. In a typical
visionary practice which predated the and requested materials, and was in year, the quartet and organist were
introduction of color telecasts. charge of the audio aspects of mixing on the road for as many as 150 days,
with the introduction of pre- and production. In that position, he traveling as much as 40,000 miles.
recording, other features could be oversaw post-production work on the
B
incorporated into the program. Fagal show, including the creation of the y the middle of the 1960s,
produced at least three documentaries, sound track used with the film. the pressure of this
in 1958, 1962, and 1966, of trips Stan Schleenbaker, who had schedule, plus the desire
he had taken to Israel, Japan and joined the quartet in 1959, became on the part of some of the quartet
Korea, and the Middle east, members to pursue other
respectively. careers, led to a dissolution
The use of film and audio of the quartet in the fall
recordings eased the pressure of 1966. Fagal was also
on the musicians, who until feeling financial pressures
this time were performing with dramatically increasing
live with no margin for error. production costs at a time
numerous audio retakes were when the church was phasing
possible now and when the out its financial support
program was finally filmed, of the program. This also
the quartet sang along with became a factor in deciding
the audio recording, off mike, whether to continue with the
so that their physical effort quartet. Organist van Knauss
in singing looked natural. continued until the following
when a piano was used, the Roger McNeily, Tom Studley, Walter Isensee, Herbert Hohensee spring, when he accepted a
with the Fagals in the 1950s
player simply played along on music teaching position at
a silent piano to previously recorded highly skilled as the recording Columbia Union College.5
music.4 technician and editor for the audio The quartet’s final appearance
recordings of the quartet and was able was in June 1966 at the General
F
rom his first year at FFT, to produce a polished, professional Conference Session held at Cobo Hall
quartet member Hohensee final product. The work done by in Detroit, Michigan. On this occasion
was involved with other Schleenbaker and Hohensee meant they sang alone as a quartet and jointly
aspects of the program. He had that the program could continue when with the vOP quartet, the King’s
established the first in-house offset the organist and quartet were away or Heralds, a collaboration that had
printing press, helped organize tracking performing at camp meetings and on happened several times previously.6
Stan Schleenbaker, Herbert Hohensee, Victor Hilbert, Left: Don Siebenlist, Herbert Hohensee, Larry Fillingham, and Stan Schleenbaker;
and Walter Isensee Right: Don Siebenlist, Jim Ripley, Larry Fillingham, and Stan Schleenbaker;
1960 Foreground left, Mary Bidwell Haloviak; right, Van Knauss, organists

Quartet members were informed Hohensee moved
of the decision to discontinue the with the program
A Day with the
group at the end of the meetings in to the west Coast,
Detroit. They returned to new york where he worked as Faith for Today Quartet
and filmed 200 numbers that were Director for Film and
then used for some time following video Services for Stan Schleenbaker
their departure. viewers were unaware the Adventist Media
The following is paraphrased and condensed from
that the quartet had been disbanded. Center, which included
an article originally published in the
Faith for Today
T youth’s Instructor in 1966
he quartet’s filmed recordings, and other Adventist
along with those of guest outreach programs, The day begins for us with worship in the Bible
soloists, music ensembles, until his retirement in school for everyone at 8:00. After worship we care
and school groups, which were also 1982. for miscellaneous responsibilities until 9:00, when
recorded ahead of time, were used as Other projects, we begin to rehearse new songs and prepare a song
needed. This flexibility was facilitated such as the production for recording.
by increasingly sophisticated recording, of an hour-long film At 10:30 we go into the main studio and
filming, and production methods. about the life of John begin recording on tape. Following a noon-hour
Six years later, in 1972, when Hus, filmed in 1975; lunch break, we rehearse again and then do more
Faith for Today moved from new specials, such as recording and care for other assignments. If we
york to Thousand Oaks, California, The Harvest; and a are recording a more lengthy or difficult number,
the original format and subsequent variety of programs however, we stay until it is finished.
variations which had relied on music have followed Besides singing, members of the quartet and our
were discarded in favor of a weekly and will continue organist have other responsibilities. One of our
dramatic series titled Westbrook to be introduced members serves as the librarian of our music: filing
Hospital.7 It was an immediate as the viewing the music, cataloguing our books, updating our
success and received numerous audience’s interests list of taped songs, and filing our tapes. Another
awards during the years it aired. and approaches to searches for new music and has our music in place
for us at the beginning of rehearsals.
A third member coordinates our overall activity
by working with Mrs. Fagal on music choices for
the programs, and with the filming studio, preparing
cue and lyric sheets. The latter are typed with one-
inch letters and placed around the studio. The fourth
member edits the recording tapes, splicing the parts
of a recording to create the best possible result. This
happens to be my job, along with answering letters
about our music or us. Our organist, van Knauss,
cares for copyright clearances and also produces
arrangements for the quartet.
About once every two weeks, we go to the film
studio and “shoot” from three to six songs. Make-
up is applied to each of us to create evenness of skin
tones. we will be illuminated by as much as 50,000
watts. we also sometimes do on-location filming in
natural settings.
we film 13 to 26 weeks in advance of our
release date. you can imagine how hard it is to get
This recording by The Faith for Today and King’s Herald’s Quartets
was the end result of joint appearances that started when their into the mood of singing Silent Night in July.
paths crossed at a Calgary, Canada, camp meeting.

television evangelism evolve. Press; and interviews with virginia Fagal. Sources
In 2000, the national religious 2 This and other information about Hohensee from the book
by Fagals and interviews with william Hohensee, and Harri william and virginia Fagal, This is Our Story, 1980,
Broadcasters awarded Faith for Today Butsch, son and daughter; Stan Schleenbaker; and van Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain
its Milestone Award in recognition of Knauss. view, California.
3 Fagals, 48-50. robert e. edwards, H.M.S. Richards, 1998, review
its pioneering work in the middle of the
4 Fagals, 97-101; van Knauss interview. and Herald Publishing Association.
20th century and its ability to adapt to
5 Fagal and Knauss interviews. Interviews/Conversations/Letters/Emails
changes in the media. In 2004, virginia
6 The first time the two quartets sang together was at a camp virginia rittenhouse Fagal, 7 September, 27, 28
Fagal was given the SOnscreen meeting in Calgary, Canada, when their paths crossed while
October 2007; van Knauss, 2 October 2007; william
on camp meeting tours. The experience was an enjoyable one
Innovation Award at their annual film Hohensee, 3, 4, 21 October 2007; Stan Schleenbaker,
and led to other shared appearances and a joint recording,
festival in Dallas, Texas, where she We’ll All Praise God Together, released as a record in 1965 3, 10-17 October 2007; Jim Hannum, 4 October
and again as a CD in 1999. 2007; Harri Butsch, 7 October 2007; victor Hilbert,
was cited for her “dedicated service in
7 Although it is rumored that all of the kinescopes, color films, October 2007; Lyle Jewell, 22 October 2007; Mel
pioneering media ministries.” and Faith for Today recordings were lost in transit, most of west, 23, 24 October 2007; Jim ripley, 25 October;
the material, except for many audio recordings, was actually Don Siebenlist, 25 October 2007; Larry Fillingham,
Dan Shultz placed in the archives at the Music Heritage room at Andrews 25 October 2007.
University. when it was discovered that Schleenbaker had
made some personal tape copies of the quartet’s singing, these A Special thank you to Virginia Fagal, William
1 Details and information about the early years based on were edited and digital copies were made. Hohensee, and Stan Schleenbaker.
william and virginia Fagal, This is Our Story, 1980, Pacific
Herbert G. Hohensee
1920 - 1995
H
erbert Hohensee, a baritone, in his fourth year, he was drafted into the music building, enrolled over 600 students
was best known for his army. He was trained as a Lab Technician in music, 400 of them in lessons. He
singing and leadership of the at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in thrived in this setting and enjoyed making
Faith for Today Quartet for thirteen years. Denver, but was transferred to Texas to music with fellow students Harold Lickey,
He was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, help open a hospital at McKinney, Texas, Lyle Jewell, and wayne Hooper. At the
where his father worked for the railroad. where he worked as a medical supply beginning of his senior year in the fall of
His mother, who was very musical, gave sergeant. An excellent typist, he was 1947, he was hired to teach, along with
the children piano lessons starting at an recruited by the captain of the medical Hooper, and, following graduation in
early age. while in elementary school supply office to type, a job he held for the 1948, taught for two more years.
he sang in a small sextet and took violin three years he served in Texas. During this In 1950, Hohensee took a study leave
lessons in seventh and eighth grade. time he became known as “Ho,” a name to pursue graduate study at westminster
while attending Plain view Academy he liked and would be called by for the Choir College. That fall, just as he was
in redfield, South Dakota, a school that rest of his life among friends and family. starting his studies, a fellow wC student,
closed in 1963, he became active in the while serving in the army in Texas, who was a non-Adventist and singing in
music program, singing in the choir, the Hohensees attended an evangelistic the quartet at Faith for Today television
joined a male quartet, and frequently sang crusade conducted in Dallas by Fordyce program on an interim basis, informed
solos. Following graduation from PvA Detamore. Lon Metcalfe was the singing those on the program about Hohensee.
in 1938, he entered Union College in evangelist for the crusade and soon The program, a pioneering endeavor
Lincoln, nebraska, as a music major. befriended them. In the fall of 1946, on the part of the church that had started a
while at UC, he met Marjorie Metcalfe invited them to join him for a few weeks earlier, invited him to sing in the
Miller, a talented pianist who resided in crusade in Toronto, Canada, where he male quartet. Although Hohensee started on
Lincoln and was attending the college. On spoke, Herbert sang, and Marjorie played a part-time basis in October, by February he
December 24, 1942, the couple married the piano. This was the beginning of their had been hired full-time and began working
in Denver, Colorado, while he was in the music ministry for the church. After that to form a permanent quartet.
armed services. Throughout their 47 years winter in Canada, they returned to Lincoln, By the end of summer 1951, two
of marriage, she was the only accompanist where they finished their education. former friends from Union College,
her husband would use in his many when Hohensee and other veterans Harold Lickey, a first tenor, and Lyle
appearances as a soloist. returned to UC after the war, they became Jewell, a bass, were hired to join
with the outbreak of world war II part of a program that, housed in a new Hohensee and walter Isensee, replacing

two non-Adventist professional singers the doctor advised Marjorie not to tell Long Island in 1964 and they had their
who had been singing in the interim. This him. For three years she agonized over the own building, he led out in the construction
newly formed group sang together for the possibility of losing her husband at an early and updating of a studio where they
next three years, becoming the first all- age, only sharing this news with the Fagals. could produce the show and prepare it for
Adventist Faith for Today Quartet. The first M.S. attack lasted five weeks. distribution. when FFT again moved, this
For thirteen years, Hohensee led The second attack came three years later time to Thousand Oaks, California, eight
the quartet, choosing the music that and lasted longer. At that time he was told years later, it became part of the Adventist
would be performed and coordinating about his disease and informed that there Media Center. As technology advanced,
songs to enhance the message of Hohensee took additional training in
each program. Changes in personnel Hollywood to better fulfill his duties as
occurred and the program became Director for Film and video Services, a
a more sophisticated operation, position he held until his retirement in 1982.
progressing from live on-the-air In 1978, the Hohensees had attended
production to film, and, in time, from a Marriage encounter. They became
black and white to color. leaders in that program and presented over
From his first year at FFT, he made 100 weekends, helping over 3000 couples.
other contributions to the program. To They stayed in California following
save money, he established the first in- retirement. An avid sports fan, Herbert
house offset printing press. regularly played racquetball. He also
He started a filing system that tracked helped the Heralds quartet by caring for
contributions and requests for Bible their office and doing receipting and
studies and materials, and he was also correspondence.
in charge of the studio. In that position, In 1988, six years after retiring, he
he oversaw all aspects of sound related and Marjorie moved to Battleground,
to post-production work on the show, washington. In December 1990, Marjorie,
including the mixing and creation of the along with her brother-in-law and
sound track for the program. Herbert’s mother, were tragically killed
Herbert and Marjorie Hohensee
when he had joined the Faith for in a car accident involving a drunk driver.
Today quartet in 1951, Marjorie had also was no medication or treatment to help Although Herbert and his sister were in
joined the program staff. She started the him. Providentially, he was led to Dr. Max the car, they survived.
Bible School and served for a short time Jacobson, a physician in Manhattan who After Marjorie’s death, Hohensee
as editor of Telenotes, a monthly paper was doing research on incurable diseases. sang very little. However, following
sent to viewers. when a vacancy arose for In the fourteen years Hohensee was under his marriage to naomi Harris in
organist for the program, she agreed to his care he never had another attack. 1991, he began to sing again. He sang
“fill in” for three months while a search when the studio began to film occasionally for church and at Plain view
was made. The three months became in color, brighter lighting had to be Academy reunions this time with naomi
seven years, with her serving from 1953 to used. Because Hohensee’s sensitivity accompanying him. He was diagnosed
1960 as program organist. to this increased lighting caused severe with pancreatic cancer in January 1995
In 1955 it was suspected that Herbert headaches, he left the quartet in 1963, but and died in June.
was in the early stages of multiple sclerosis. continued in key production activities.
ds
Because the diagnosis was not conclusive, when the program was moved to
Stan Schleenbaker
S
tan Schleenbaker traces his start in the meeting so they could sit in the back the principal. During the singing of one
music to an incident that happened row, a preferred place for the boys. Some of the hymns, she suddenly turned around
in a Friday evening vesper during faculty members came and sat right in and asked, “who has that beautiful tenor
his sophomore year at Shenandoah valley front of them, a distressful situation. voice?” After Schleenbaker sheepishly
Academy in new Market, virginia. He One of these was the english teacher confessed, she observed, “you’re going to
and two of his friends had arrived early for who also happened to be the daughter of go someplace with a voice like that.”

He teamed up with three other and answered letters from those who had We had moments of good humor in
classmates and formed the Sophomore questions about the group or its music. In the office. One time Mrs. Fagal gave us
Quartet, one that stayed together through his work with recordings, he pioneered a copy of some music someone had sent
in, hoping we would perform it, and said,
the next three years, renaming themselves the idea of editing from the back or the
“Would you run over this and let me know
each year by claiming their class name last taping rather than searching from the
what you think?” It really wasn’t that good
until they graduated as the venerable beginning for acceptable segments.
so we took it out in the parking lot, ran
Senior Quartet. He also sang in the choir. Also, being the oldest member of
over it with a car, and gave it back to her
when he graduated in 1948, he with the tire tread on it and the comment
attended washington Missionary College, that we had “run over it.”
now Columbia Union College, for a when the Faith for Today quartet
year and then dropped out for a year was dismantled in September 1966,
before going to emmanuel Missionary Schleenbaker was hired as Director of the
College, now Andrews University, where new york Center in Times Square. He
he graduated in 1954 with a major in was responsible for caring for the physical
theology and a minor in music. He was the plant, making arrangements for programs
only one in his family to go to college and in the auditorium, and overseeing finances.
do something with music, although two of After a year there, he became Director
his brothers also had music training. while of Trust Services for the conference, a
at eMC he continued to sing in quartets. position he held until 1974. During that
Following graduation, he served in time he worked with the Metropolitan
the Michigan Conference as a pastor and evangelistic Team, appearing at least once
was a member of the conference’s quartet during each of their crusades to sing solos
for two years. At the end of that time, he and join in singing with the Crusade Trio.
returned to Pennsylvania to be with his the quartet, he served as spokesman for it After leaving the conference office,
father, who died three years later. after Herbert Hohensee left the group in he went into business for himself before
The day after his father’s funeral 1963. while the quartet had traditionally settling in the Collegedale, Tennessee,
service, Faith for Today contacted him limited its repertoire to sacred music, area where he eventually flew for the
about coming to sing in the quartet. This they developed a secular program in Little Debbie Snack Cakes. while there he
was actually the third time they had 1965. Schleenbaker later talked about this earned his final rating as Airline Transport
approached him, the previous two having change and the good humor that was part Pilot, became lead captain on a King
been while he was a student at eMC, when of working at FFT: Air 200 turboprop, and a captain on the
Harold Lickey left the quartet, and when We developed a lighthearted secular Citation III jet. He remained at this job
he was beginning his work as a pastor. program where we sang and played until he retired 12 years later, in 1992.
with his father’s death, Schleenbaker instruments as well. We introduced it at Through the years he has continued
had to choose between working with the 1965 Youth Congress in Atlantic City to sing. In 1983, he developed an ulcer
his three brothers in running the family and because our schools were represented on his vocal chords, and had surgery that
there, we started getting invitations to give
business, the largest manufacturer of affected and weakened his voice. even so,
this program at academies and colleges.
brushes in the world, or resuming work The concert enabled the students to see us he still continues to sing in choral groups
as a minister. He decided to reenter the as down to earth people, not stuffed shirts. in Collegedale and is occasionally featured
ministry by singing in the FFT quartet. When we were invited, they sometimes as a soloist in their concerts.
He sang with the quartet from 1959 wanted us to do the whole weekend, to
ds
to 1966. In addition to singing, he edited do the preaching as well as singing both
the audio recordings made by the quartet sacred and secular music.
Musicians at Faith for Today
More complete biographies for Herbert Hohensee and Stan Schleenbaker as well as biographies
for the following FFT Musicians can be found at iamaonline.com.
Virginia Rittenhouse Fagal Marjorie Hohensee Jim Ripley
Larry Fillingham Lyle Jewell Don Siebenlist
Mary Bidwell Haloviak Van Knauss Retta Rippey Valario
Victor Hilbert Harold Lickey Melvin K. West

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