Tenor: Al Mau
Lead: Ted Bradshaw
Bass: Phil Foote
Bari: Paul Graham
A funny thing happened to the Western Continentals on their way to the 1968 International championship. In 1965, only a year after they first got together, Dr. Curt Kimball, Ted Bradshaw, Paul Graham and Terry Diedrich placed eighth in the International competition.
Shortly thereafter Curt, the tenor, was called to service in the Vietnam war, and was replaced by Al Mau. They dropped to 21st in 1966.
The quartet traveled to the Society’s Annual Convention in Los Angeles in 1967, not only with Al, but with a new bass, Phil Foote, replacing Terry. They won the 2nd place silver medals. The next year, in Cincinnati, they captured the GOLD.
If a native Arizonan still lived in Phoenix in the 1960’s, he certainly wasn’t a member of the Continentals. Al was from Wisconsin, Ted from Ohio, Paul from Michigan, and Phil from Detroit (by way of El Paso, thanks to the Air Force).
The quartet was “on again, off again” for a decade after winning the championship. Al moved to California in 1971 and was replaced by Frank Friedemann, but they disbanded in 1972. Phil had also left, but by 1973 both he and Al were back, and the Continentals resumed shows until a job transfer took Phil away once again. He returned a second time in 1977. The the quartet hung up the pitch pipe for good in 1979.