A call comes in over the hotline. The subject is a woman working at a credit union. The caller provides details, directions and payment.
A team mobilizes, parks out of sight and silently hides near a reinforced security door, waiting to surprise the woman as she exits the building.
The squad synchronizes through a series of nods and pitch pipe noises before executing its highly rehearsed plan — a four-part harmony of Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender.”
The Barbergators Chorus, a local a cappella group, visited businesses and homes Friday to sing Valentine’s Day songs. Interested parties contacted the group to give details about where their love interests would be. Then the Barbergators sent three quartet groups to the various locations throughout the day.
The Barbergators charged $50 for its performances, which included a flower and a card, said Scott Chatten, the vice president of music and performance. He said the price is usually negotiable because the group likes to sing for anyone who wants to listen.
During the afternoon, one of the quartets stopped to sing for Kim Cellon and her coworkers at her office.
“They are just so good,” she said. “They start singing, and they have you melting.”
The experience is rewarding for the Barbergators as well.
Member Dave Jacobs said he’s never found anything as musically satisfying. Jacobs said interactions at weekly club meetings help create a tight-knit group of singers.
“The friendships you make with the guys — some who have been here for 30 years — creates a strong bond,” he said. “It blows your mind hearing the life experiences of these guys.”
One of the final stops Friday afternoon was the Atrium at Gainesville, a senior living community. The group finalized its 30-minute set before walking through a set of sliding glass doors to perform for a crowd of about 40.
Maureen Steenbeke, the organizer of the event at the Atrium, said she hires the group several times a year.
Jacobs, who is also the chorus director, said that for the Barbergators, singing for the community is just as enjoyable. The group has expanded its size in the last year and is working to branch out its gigs to include more students.
“We’re really trying to become a voice in the community,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 2/17/2014 under the headline "Barbershop quartet spreads love, music on Valentine’s Day"]
