AC TIVITI ES
MelloMacs Celebrate 50 Years of Voices in Harmony on April 30
T
he charming name “MelloMacs” reflects the zeitgeist of the year the choir was born. The year 1960 was a mellow time, a time when the word mellow was used differently in conversa- tion than it is sometimes used today. The word mellow can be used to refer to a lovely sound, to a ripe fruit, to a rich wine, or to a slight and pleasant intoxication. As a more recent American slang term, people might be told, “Don’t harsh my mellow,” or a couple of decades ago to “mellow out.” With a name chosen from among
suggestions by its charter members, MelloMacs have been mellowing out for 50 years to the sublime mellow sound of voices in harmony. The pleasant intoxication of camaraderie, toe-tapping music, and good- will in service to the community ensures that they never harsh anyone’s mellow. It all began 50 years ago, when Marion Hess-Green decided to get a female chorus going at MAC. The all-male Balladeers had been performing since 1940, but there were no opportunities for women to sing at the club. Hess-Green convinced the general manager, Vern Perry, to add the MelloMacs choral group to the club’s activities. Hess-Green sought out a director for this new choir and found Bruce Kelly, who was then leading the Forest Grove Gleemen. Kelly was a stock- broker by day, with an intense love of music. An excellent tenor vocalist, he also played the saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and piano. Kelly directed the MelloMacs for more than 40 years.
In 1967, Kelly proposed that the MelloMacs expand to include men, and the women thought that sounded like fun.
The MelloMacs’ past travels took them to many locations, including Las Vegas.
That fall, seven men were welcomed into the group, with Dick Janes as the first male choir member. The men’s first uniform was a turquoise brocade tuxedo jacket, which looked really sharp in the 1960s. In 1960 there were 16 singers, but by
1967 the choir boasted 50 singers. Charter members Marian Avena and Evelyn Beardsley are still active members, with Beardsley serving as chairperson four times throughout the years. Hundreds of MAC members have been MelloMacs in its 50 years of performances. One of its most
MelloMacs’ Spring Sing-Along from the ‘60s. D
This event is free and open to MAC members and guests of all ages. The MelloMacs perform their Solid Gold show; everyone is encouraged to join in the singing, or just listen if they’d prefer.
For more information on the MelloMacs, call Member Services at 503-517-7276 or go to
theMAC.com. WM
30 | The Wınged M | APRIL 2011
on’t miss the Spring Sing-Along Saturday, April 30 at 2 p.m. The MelloMacs look forward to being joined by a ballroom full of people singing along to solid gold hits
visible members was Michael Redman, who performed on the Lawrence Welk Show. The first MelloMacs chairperson was Marge Platt. Marge Spoelstra was the first accompanist until she moved away from Portland. One of the MelloMacs, Helen Grimberg, took over for a few years, followed by the talented Gary Hemenway. Craig Bidondo, a gifted pianist, accom- panied the MelloMacs for more than a decade. John Bennett is the current accompanist. When not playing with the MelloMacs, he lights up the room playing piano with his ragtime and jazz bands. Though the MelloMacs have sung
mostly locally in the past few years, they once traveled annually to perform at fantastic venues. MelloMacs sang at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York; in Washington D.C. at the United States Capital Rotunda in 1964; at the 1974 World’s Fair in Spokane; and at the 1986 World’s Fair in Vancouver, B.C. (Expo 86). They have also performed in Mexico, numerous times in Canada, San Francisco,
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