Tenor: Fred Farrell
Lead: David Harrington
Bass: Jamie Meyer
Bari: Doug Harrington
Second Edition, from Louisville Kentucky, won the 1989 International Competition held in Kansas City. They had been singing together since 1986 and one of the youngest quartets to win with the oldest only 25.
Some consider The Second Edition to actually be one of the last versions of The Harrington Brothers (David, Doug, Jamie Meyer and Allen Hatton of the 1978 champions Bluegrass Student Union). When that quartet disbanded, David, Doug and Jamie found tenor Fred Farrell in December of 1986.
Second Edition placed second in their first International competition in Hartford Connecticut in 1987, and repeated as silver medalist in 1988 in San Antonio.
David started singing barbershop at age 11 encouraged by his mother Lois and grandmother Lee.
Doug was the youngest of the Harrington Brothers (w/Mike, Jeff and David) and grew up singing on stage. The brothers were members of the Columbus Ohio Singing Buckeyes and joined when Doug was only 10 years old. In 1984 the Harringtons were the youngest quartet to win a medal at Int’l.
In middle school, Jamie formed his first quartet called the Derby City Four. They sang for a Louisville Thoroughbreds rehearsal and were very well received and encouraged. He joined them in 1982. He also sang with the Men of Accord and Class of ’84 quartets.
Fred began in Iowa with the Happiness Express Chorus of the Denison, IA chapter thanks to his dad, Don (founder and director) and his mother, Katie, Sweet Adeline, arranger and songwriter. There Fred sang in a quartet named The Iowa Supreme Chord. After a move to Chicago and joining the West Town Chapter he joined a pick-up quartet with Ken Jordahl (Four Henchmen), Buzz Haeger (Four Renegades) and Dick Kingdon (Chiefs of Staff). They placed second at the Illinois District fall contest almost winning the championship.
Second Edition traveled extensively appearing on shows in 30 states as well as England, Scandinavia and New Zealand. They were often booked on shows with their Sweet Adeline counterparts, the 1989 Queens, Growing Girls, of Sweden. This spawned some successful relationships professionally and personally. As it turned out the bass of Second Edition (Jamie) married the bass of Growing Girls (Naima) and the baritone of Second Edition (Doug) married to the lead of Growing Girls (Suzanne). Both couples now live in Sweden.
The quartet produced only one LP entitled Second Edition I. It is a ground breaking recording and reflective of the monster talent of these four young men. The quartet didn’t stay together long after winning, and retired in the mid 1990s.
All quartet members are still active in barbershopping. David sang in other quartets like A Few Good Men and continues to arrange music for quartets and choruses.
Fred went on to win a second gold medal with the 2009 Champions Crossroads. This great foursome includes three other past champs, Mike Slamka, lead; Brandon Guyton, bari; and Jim Henry, bass).
Doug coaches various top music groups around the world such as The Real Group and Vocal Six. He is also the director and founder of a new chorus called Zero8 with several talented, young and energetic singers in Stockholm, Sweden. They qualified for a couple of trips to the BHS International Chorus competition. Also now singing with zero8 is a tried and true bass named Jamie Meyer.