CHIPS Quartet
1996 LOL District Novice Champions



1996
2008


Watch CHIPS on the TV news! (4/11/08)

See 2009 Singing Valentines photos!
(...or read last year's newspaper column)


See CHIPS in The Harmonizer (Jan. 2009)

CHIPS Quartet Schedule

10/27/08 Mon Chi-Hi high school choir concert in Chippewa Falls
11/01/08 Sat Winona, Minn. chapter shows (afternoon, evening)
11/15/08 Sat Red Cedar Sounds (SAI) chapter show, Colfax, Wisc. (2pm/6pm)
11/18/08 Tue Heyde Center for the Arts (Chippewa Falls), Annual Volunteer Banquet
11/24/08 Mon UWEC Women's Choir concert, Gantner Hall (7:30 p.m.)
12/07/08 Sun Medford, WI: Time Federal Savings Bank Christmas Party
01/14/09 Wed Menomonie condo owners board meeting
02/13/09 Fri Singing Valentines! (Chippewa Falls and Menomonie)
02/22/09 Sun Vaudeville Show at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls (1pm)
04/18/09 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show, Colfax, Wisc.
05/09/09 Sat Pine Tones Chorus Show, Black River Falls, Wisc.
07/29/09 Wed Concert in the Park ("Ashley for the Arts"), Arcadia, Wisc.

Check out the Singing Valentines photos:
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2008 | 2009 |

Newspaper columns about CHIPS:

Anne O'Brien, 1981-2003

(Jerry's beloved daughter)

CHIPS is a barbershop quartet in the Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls area of west-central Wisconsin. They are an officially registered quartet in the LOL District of SPEBSQSA (they are members of the Dunn County, Black River Falls, and Eau Claire chapters). Formed in January 1995, they steadily increased their ranking in official SPEBSQSA quartet contests for the next couple years. They were crowned the District Novice Quartet Champions in Rochester, Minnesota in October 1996, and made it into the finals (Top Ten) in the October 1997 district contest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The four individuals have a combined total of over 100 years of experience singing barbershop harmony in quartets and choruses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado, and Oregon. What is barbershop harmony? In a nutshell, it's four voices singing a cappella (without instruments), with the lead usually in the second highest part, and with chord progessions around the circle of fifths (Gashouse Gang example). Their repertoire includes some songs that stray outside the barbershop umbrella, such as 50s and doo-wop (e.g., "Lion Sleeps Tonight"), but it's all delicious four-part a cappella male harmony.

What sort of performances do they do? Anything and everything! They have sung for all sorts of events in the Chippewa Valley, like weddings, banquets, visiting touring groups, private parties, etc., in addition to several barbershop chapter shows. They were featured in a local production of The Music Man at the historic State Theater in Eau Claire in the summer of '96. One recurring "singout" they particularly enjoy doing is Singing Valentines.

CHIPS is a fun-loving group whose main purpose is to spread joy by singing for people, and to preserve and encourage an old original american artform, barbershop harmony. They commit a certain percentage of their time to doing free concerts for good causes, but they do have expenses to pay (uniforms, sheet music arrangements, tapes, travel, coaching fees, sound system), so they do need to charge money for most performances.

Send 'em some email if you'd like to be added to their mailing list, or if you'd like to add a touch of class to your next event.

Subscribe to CHIPS-Quartet-news
to get period updates via email:

Meet the CHIPS Members

Tenor Jerry O'Brien Tenor Jerry O'Brien is a software developer with KRM Information Services in Eau Claire. He has three children and lives in Black River Falls. Jerry got his start in barbershop with the New Mexichords chorus in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1986. He sang with the Eau Claire chapter of SPEBSQSA and helped to establish his new chapter in Black River Falls, WI. Jerry is the treasurer and sound designer for Falls Players community theater and is the songleader and guitarist for his church's folk choir, in addition to singing with two mixed quartets, "Fairview Four" and "PB&J."
(email: jobrien @krm.com)
Lead Randy Knaack owns Knaack Advertising in Menomonie. CHIPS is his first competing quartet, although he has been singing barbershop harmony with the Dunn County chorus since the early 80's. He lives in Menomonie with his wife and two children, and was elected to the school board (the real one in Menomonie, not River City).
(email: knaack @wwt.net)
Baritone Tom Arneberg is an IC Design Engineer at Cray, Inc. in Chippewa Falls (he designs chips in Chippewa!), where he lives with his wife and five children. He has been in several barbershop choruses and quartets in Minnesota, Colorado, and Oregon, before moving to Wisconsin in 1991. He is the communications officer for the Land O'Lakes District.
(email: tom@arneberg.com)
Bass Rod Bailey is retired after 44 years in the furniture industry. He and his wife have three grown children. He moved here from Davenport, Iowa, where he was actively involved in a chorus and in the Seventh Encounters quartet, which got as high as third place in CSD.
(email:rbailey4415 @charter.net)

Official contact email address: info@chipsQuartet.com

Past gigs since 1998 (for reminiscing):

09/19/98 Sat Milk Haulers State Convention, Waupaca, WI
09/22/98 Tue Farm Progress Days, Old Towne in Menomonie
09/26/98 Sat Barron, WI Chapter Show (w/Keepsake, '92 Int'l Champs)
10/10/98 Sat Duluth, MN Chapter Show
11/07/98 Sat Eau Claire SPEBSQSA Chapter Show
12/06/98 Sun Eau Claire Sweet Adelines Chapter Show (Bloomer, 2pm)
12/12/98 Sat Eau Claire Sweet Adelines Chapter Show (Eau Claire, 7:30 pm)
02/12/99 Fri Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
03/03/99 Wed Red Cedar Bank employees at Old Towne in Menomonie
03/27/99 Sat Eau Claire Chapter Gospel Show, Masonic Lodge in downtown Eau Claire
03/30/99 Tues Westconsin Credit Union Annual Shareholders Meeting (Menomonie High School Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.)
04/17/99 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax High School, 8:00 p.m.)
05/29/99 Sat Alumni Reunion, Fairchild High School
07/17/99 Sat Dunn County Fair, Menomonie (1pm, 4pm)
07/21/99 Wed Ladies' Golf Tournament, White Tail Golf Club
08/25/99 Wed Chippewa Valley Cultural Association, Chippewa Falls
09/25/99 Sat Wedding reception, Old Towne in Menomonie
10/02/99 Sat Chapter Show, Escanaba, Michigan (U.P.)
11/06/99 Sat Eau Claire Chapter Show
12/07/99 Tue Senior Citizens at Mabel-Tainter theater, Menomonie
12/27/99 Mon Gratzi's Restaurant, Menomonie (private party)
02/14/00 Mon Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
02/16/00 Wed Party for employees of Northwestern Bank-CF at Fill-Inn
03/13/00 Mon Choir Concert at North H.S., Eau Claire
03/18/00 Sat 10,000 Lakes Division Contest, Stillwater, MN
04/01/00 Sat Annual Shareholders Meeting, West Wisconsin Telcom, 1:30pm Downsville
04/02/00 Sun Menomonie Music Lovers' Association
04/08/00 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax High School, 8:00 p.m.)
04/09/00 Sun Heyde Center for the Arts Grand Opening (Chip.Falls, 2:30/7:30)
04/16/00 Sun Eau Claire Chapter Gospel Show, Masonic Lodge in downtown Eau Claire (7:30pm)
05/10/00 Wed Medford Memorial Employee Appreciation Banquet, Medford, WI
05/27/00 Sat Alumni Reunion, Fairchild High School
07/06/00 Thurs International Convention in Kansas City, MO (thru Saturday) (we are just going to watch!)
07/26/00 Wed Dunn County Fair, Menomonie (3pm, 5pm)
08/16/00 Wed Chippewa Valley Cultural Association, Chippewa Falls (FREE! Donations accepted for CVCA.)
08/31/00 Thurs Dunn County Interfaith Volunteers, Menomonie, mortgage-burning ceremony
10/03/00 Tue Milk Haulers National Convention, Wisconsin Dells (Chula Vista Resort)
10/07/00 Sat Polk County Chapter Show, Balsam Lake, WI (2pm & 8pm)
11/04/00 Sat Eau Claire Chapter Show (State Theater, 7:30pm)
02/04/01 Sun Eastern Star (Chippewa Falls Middle School, 2:00 p.m.)
02/14/01 Mon Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
04/16/01 Mon Masons at Gratzi's in Menomonie
04/21/01 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax High School, 8:00 p.m.)
04/24/01 Tue St. James Hotel in Red Wing, MN (Lake City Medical Center Volunteer Recognition Banquet)
05/09/01 Wed Medford Memorial Hospital Employee Appreciation Banquet, Medford, WI
07/25/01 Fri Dunn County Fair, Menomonie (4pm & 6pm)
08/11/01 Sat Pure Water Days Parade/Heritage Fun Fest, Chippewa Falls
09/02/01 Sun Tara Tompkins' Wedding Reception
09/15/01 Sat Black River Falls, WI Sweet Adeline Chapter Show ( "Rhythm of the River Chorus")
10/27/01 Sat Rock Island, IL chapter show
12/12/01 Wed NW Veterinary Assoc., Holiday Inn- Eau Claire
02/14/02 Fri Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
03/18/02 Mon Spring Concert at North H.S., Eau Claire
04/06/02 Sat Eau Claire Sweet Adelines chapter show
04/20/02 Sat Woodcarvers' show, Thunderbird Mall in Menomonie (12:30 - 1:30)
04/20/02 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax High School, 8:00 p.m.)
04/23/02 Tue Credit Union in Spooner, WI
05/18/02 Sat Black River Falls, WI chapter show
05/25/02 Sat Eau Claire Cavaliers game (Minor League Baseball)
05/26/02 Sun Knez wedding in Eau Claire
06/15/02 Sat Gratzi's in Menomonie (private party)
02/01/03 Sat Dinner Theater, St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Menomonie
02/08/03 Sat LOL District Quartet School, Stillwater, MN
02/14/03 Fri Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
04/12/03 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax High School, 8:00 p.m.)
04/22/03 Tue Credit Union Annual Meeting in Spooner, WI
05/02/03 Fri LOL/10,000 Lakes Division Quartet Contest, Plymouth, MN
06/26/03 Thu Lions Club Officers' Installation, Trego, WI
09/23/03 Tue Chippewa Falls Optimist Club Annual Awards Meeting, Arizona's (7:30 p.m.)
09/30/03 Tue Oakwood Hills Retirement Facility, Ice Cream Social (12:30-1:30)
02/13/04 Fri Singing Valentines! (All day, all over Chippewa Falls & Eau Claire)
04/03/04 Sat Annual Shareholders Meeting, West Wisconsin Telcom, 10:30am Eau Galle, WI
04/24/04 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax, WI High School, 8:00 p.m.)
05/12/04 Wed National Anthem (and other singing) for the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome! (Along with other barbershop harmony singers.)
08/15/04 Sun Leinie's Lodge, Chippewa Falls, WI (1-4pm)
09/01/04 Wed Heyde Center for the Arts fundraiser, Chippewa Falls, WI, 7pm, $3 admission
09/18/04 Sat Milk Haulers State Convention, Stevens Point, WI
          (Had to take a couple years off due to Rod's health...) :-(
08/13/06 Sun Leinie's Lodge, Chippewa Falls, WI (12-4pm) (Free admission, free beer!)
08/31/06 Thurs Minnesota State Fair Talent Contest! (Leinie's Bandshell)
08/31/06 Thurs Joe Soucheray's Garage Logic radio show
09/06/06 Wed Heyde Center for the Arts fundraiser, Chippewa Falls, WI, 7pm, $3 admission
02/25/07 Sun Vaudeville Show at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls (2pm)
04/21/07 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show (Colfax, WI High School, 8:00 p.m.)
08/20/07 Mon Tainter Woods neighborhood picnic (Menomonie)
12/02/07 Sun Hospital fundraiser in Menomonie
12/12/07 Wed Luther Hospital, Bloomer nursing homes
02/14/08 Thu Singing Valentines! (Chippewa Falls and Menomonie)
03/09/08 Sun Vaudeville Show at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls (2pm) (article)
03/10/08 Mon Choir Concert at North High School (7pm)
03/29/08 Sat Banquet at Connell's Supper Club
04/11/08 Fri Sing live on WEAU TV-13 news (5:00 p.m.)
04/12/08 Sat Dunn County Chapter Show, Colfax, Wisc.
(P.S. -- If you want to explore more about barbershop harmony, and other groups that perform it, check out the Barbershop FAQs page.)
This page is maintained by Tom Arneberg (info@chipsQuartet.com)
(Last modified: $Date: 2009-04-04 11:47:26-05 $)
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