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When the Late Show welcomed Ronnie and Gill Shepherd and Fred and Patsy Tyler from the Harbour Lights Harmony Club, the club members wanted to make something clear from the outset. They say modern day barbershop singing groups have the traditional image of four men with moustaches in stripy shirts and straw hats.

The membership of Harbour Lights Harmony based at Brigsley in North East Lincolnshire dispels any such myths straight away. Its members are made up of men and women of all ages who simply get together for the joy of singing.

The chorus director and founder is Ronnie Shepherd who took up this type of singing in his late forties in the 1980's. His singing has taken him to many places including Calgary in Canada. Many of his early forays into singing were with the Sheffield based Hallmark of Harmony Chorus.Μύ Many of his achievements are listed on the Harbour Lights club website.

The group has a number of strong family ties. Ronnie's wife Gill is also a singer and Fred and Patsy Tyler are also married. Fred is from the south of England and he and his wife Patsy moved to this area six years ago. Patsy also helps with the administration of the club but has a background in singing and has sung with a number of groups over the years.

Patsy has made the transition to barbershop singing from traditional choirs and embraces the change of discipline which has deepened her musical interests.

The present group has been fairly low key in its public performances,Μύmainly due to Ronnie's attention to detail. Patsy says this type of singing is extremely demanding in terms of hitting the right notes as one stray note can make or break a performance. It can take as long as two months to learn one song and that means months of preparation and rehearsalΜύ to grow a repertoire large enough to make putting on a show worthwhile.

The group were in Hull recently to take part in the Last Choir Standing workshop organised by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One television programme of the same name. Although rain poured down, all of the singers the group encountered were supportive of each other. Gill stresses that singing is something which brings people together.

The main picture shows some members of the group at hobbies event in Cleethorpes. The group members are (left to right) -Fred Tyler, Gill Shepherd, Eve West, Patsy Tyler, Mike West and Ronnie Shepherd.

The Harbour Lights Harmony Club meets on Wednesday's in Brigsley's Village Hall from 7.30pm and everyone is welcome to come along and see what they have to offer. Patsy Tyler says she's more than welcome to accept any queries from people who would like to know more. Phone 01472 814068.