Small groups can make amazing sounds - and harmony
Four barbershoppers performing as a quartet.
In the close-harmony barbershop style (acappella without instrumental accompaniment), a quartet of four people is not just a tradition, but a structural necessity. Barbershop music is built around four distinct vocal parts:
Lead: sings the melody, usually in the second-highest range
Tenor: harmonises above the lead, adding sparkle and brightness
Baritone: fills in the gaps in the chord, often weaving above and below the melody
Bass: provides the foundation with low harmonies
These four parts create the rich, full chords characteristic of barbershop, especially the "ringing chord" – a perfectly tuned consonance that produces audible overtones. A barbershop chorus such as Cottontown takes those four voice parts and expands the sound beyond that which a quartet could produce,
Here are some of the current quartets involving members of Cottontown who we're proud to be associated with.
Where four voices make one sound
Flat Chance
Flat Chance quartet formed in October 2022, consisting of Mat (lead), Dale (bass), James (baritone) and Charlie (tenor) who all sing with Cottontown in Bolton. They like singing barbershop songs with Big Tags and loooong posts, as well as other acappella arrangements. They've won various awards including "Most Improved Quartet" at the men's national barbershop contest in 2025, and are available to sing at your charity or musical event - drop them a message on Facebook!
Area of operation: North West England
County: Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire
Meridian
Meridian formed in February 2023, with Cottontown’s musical director Neil Firth singing baritone and our lead section leader Andy King singing lead. They’re joined by the wonderful Tony Bylett who sings tenor and Stuart Owen on bass.
In addition to singing at concerts and events, Meridian also took third place in the national Barbershop convention in 2025! They love nothing more than ringing chords and putting new twists on classic songs - Check them out on Facebook!
Area of operation: North West England
County: Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire
What Sets Us Apart
People-First Approach
As a chorus, we're keen to promote and support singing in quartet, to develop the intimacy and tight interpersonal chemistry that allows a deep connection with an audience through regular performances in public and on the competition stage.
Hiring a Quartet
Hiring a quartet is often the easiest, quickest and most cost-effective means of bringing acappella music to your event, and we can put together a quality quartet to suit your needs, using our own diverse repertoire – or we could even learn your requests!
Custom Performances
Our singers are used to learning new songs and have a repertoire of over 100 existing songs you can choose from.
You can contact us directly to enquire about your event, or check out our details on the Encore website.