Oh, that's a fond dream of mine as well... too bad I'd have to move back out to the valey to do it. We're way out in the South, and I've just become eligible to even audition for the choir... as I've recently entered my thirties. I am so grateful for the MTC music... They have shaped my life and countless others with beautiful music, obviously born of intense rehearsal and dedicated service. I saw them perform in conference recently and saw some young singers who looked around my age, and it brought back those "Oh, I wish" feelings again. But even if I will nevr be a part of the choir, I can still LOVE the choir, and listen to it. Thanks to all choir members, who are hard workers.

Now, after you're sixty, or have been there 20 years, what do you do next?

This is an interesting story.

There's also an interesting story why the
"Battle Hymn of the Republic", by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was on the Top 40 "Pop" radio in 1959. In fact it got to #13!! Other artists of
the day were Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka,
and the list could go on and on......all then "pop"
artists of that day.

The late 50's were a transition period for radio.
TV was becoming the First medium for the hour and half hour programs. Radio was moving towards All
Music programming with a host (or DJ) Playing the Hits.

KFWB, "Color Radio Channel 98", 980 on the AM
debuted as an all music station Jan 2, 1958. In
that first year they garnered 40%+ of the radio audeince in Los Angeles. Their programming head,
a fairly young man (then) Chuck Blore, was bragging
about how much power and influence HIS KFWB had to a record promoter. Chuck made a statement that ANYTHING he played over KFWB would become a HIT!
The bet (challenge) was the Tabernacle Choir's song.

Chuck was right. Heard him recount that at a radio
history gathering in LA honoring the legacy of KFWB
in 2002.

I'm fairly close to Brother Finlayson's age and was fairly young in 1959 too and remember going to Church with neighbors who lived just a few houses down the street. (My Dad is not a member). This was in West LA and those who were taking my brother and I to Church were avid KFWB "Channel 98" listeners. They were also very much "talkers" and talked a lot on the way to Church, but when the Tabernacle Choir came on the radio singing the "Battle Hymn" they all got real quiet until the song was over, like respecting the National Anthem.

KFWB during those years was owned by
Crowell-Collier, the encylopedia company. The station was earlier owned by Warner Brothers of
Hollywood, in fact "the Four Warner Brothers".
That's where the KFWB call letters originated.

The "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is the last track on side 1 of the Choir's first LP Album on
Columbia entitled, "The Lord's Prayer". My mother had that Album. My mother's Mom, my Grandma, sang
in the Tabernacle Choir when she was a teenager. Grandma's father sang in the choir for 27 years. This was in the early 1900's. Great-grandpa
passed on in 1928.

I was in the Tab Choir 1976-1996, getting “thrown out” 12 years ago--as I’d have never gone willingly. I had the same sentiments as Keith--it was like a divorce you didn’t want, from your “other family”--since the commitment is so strong. The turnover in the choir is quite high, and I only recognize a few faces now. I got in with a group of 34, and only 3 of us lasted the full 20 years--a few had turned 60 before that. It’s quite difficult to stay in so long, with the time requirement, the music that’s required to be learned, the pressures of weekly concerts, time away from family, etc. But, it was well-worth all of the ups and downs--the ups way outnumbering the downs. I had many dreams for years of sneaking back into rehearsals and hiding up high in the choir seats so Jerry Ottley couldn’t see me there. I haven’t had one of those dreams for a couple years now, so I must be adjusting to life without the choir. Wow, what a tremendously enjoyable 20 years, Keith! Now you can go through the withdrawal the rest of us have experienced.

Thanks, Bro. Finlayson for your years of service. What an experience that must be. I had a chance to sing in a men's choir at general priesthood many years ago. I could never make it in the MTC, but what an experience to sit in the choir seats in the tabernacle and get a feeling for what it is like. It still gives me chills. I love hearing the choir, and look forward to many more years of amazing music.

I've always enjoyed picking out Dr. Finlayson's red-haired, youthful, Howdy-Doody-look-alike face out of the choir while watching broadcasts for the last 20 years. I met him about 20 years ago when he removed the tonsils from my kids, and although we haven't met again for 20 years, we have always considered him to be our doctor and among our favorite choir members--along with a couple of cousins and ward members who were also in the choir. We will miss seeing him every Sunday morning.

Hi,
A great place for retired MoTab singers is the Utah Symphony Chorus.

Recent concerts include Sea Symphony and Dona Nobis, both by Vaughan Williams, 1812 Overture, Brahms' German Requiem, Mozart Requiem.

Join now and you can sing Beethoven's 9th in Sept. at Abravenal Hall, with the Utah Symphony.

It's a great gig, and only Tuesday night commitment, with no mandatory retirement (just pass the audition).
utahsymphonychorus.org. 4-5 concerts/year.

When you are doing what you love, it ain't work, it's relaxation (no matter how much you sweat) and every sacrifice is worth it.

Keith was akways the brightest boy in our elementary school class and one of the kindest. It does not surprise me that he lifted his voice to the Lord all these years.

I'm the one who wrote the "History" posts.

I'm sorry that the Choir today has mandatory
retirement. That wasn't always there. I can
understand the feeling that "new blood" is good,
BUT LOYALTY from those is good too. When my Grandma
and her father and her brother were in the Tabernacle Choir, it was more like a Community Choir or maybe a Stake Choir. Grandma's brother traveled with the Choir to Washington to be part of the Inagaration ceremony of President Woodrow Wilson. Grandma couldn't go becuase of $$ that the family had saved for older brother's travel expense. In was in those years that Grandma was a teenager being born in 1895. They all lived just North West of Temple Square on 300 North near 900
West. They would walk to rehearsals and performances. They didn't have a car in those days.
Great-grandpa died in 1928, the year before the
First radio broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word.

I'm not a big fan of non-chosen retirement.
on the other hand most church calling do have a time
for release.

God Bless you all for your Great Music...