The Four Freshmen

The Four Freshmen – Born out of a student barbershop quartet (Hal’s Harmonizers) at Butler University in 1948, the Four Freshmen—characterized by complex, vocal harmonies—appealed to both the jazz world and the general public of the 1950s. The first group consisted of brothers Ross and Don Barbour (Columbus), cousin Bob Flanigan (Greencastle), and Hal Kratzch (Warsaw), all of whom sang and played instruments. Their big break came in 1950 when Stan Kenton heard them in Dayton and invited them to audition for Capitol Records, with whom they signed later that year. Their string of hits in the 1950s included “It’s a Blue World” (1952), “Mood Indigo” (1954), “Day by Day” (1955), and “Graduation Day” (1956). Voted Best Vocal Group in Down Beat for five years throughout the 1950s, the Four Freshmen were highly influential on numerous groups, including the Hi-Los, Manhattan Transfer, and even the Beach Boys. After Flanigan retired in 1992, none of the original members were left; however, the group has never stopped, and its current manifestation retains the original repertoire and style with hints of modern interpretation.