The Kingsmen Harmony Chorus are off on a 12-day tour of the USA at the end of May after an 18-month fundraising campaign to offset much of the cost of the tour.

Roy Hann, musical director, founder and Honorary Life President of the Kingsmen has been particularly instrumental in getting this tour off the ground with his many American contacts in the barbershop world.

This will be the third time the Kingsmen have visited the USA with tours in 1994 (Los Angeles) and 1997 (Las Vegas).

The tour starts in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the Amish community, with hosting by the Red Rose Chorus and performances with the ladies chorus, Vocal Harmonix - formerly Red Rose City Chorus.

Then on to Washington DC to be hosted by the Alexandria Harmonizers who are themselves former world champions and have the honour of having US Senator John Glenn - former astronaut and now deceased - as one of their admirers and supporters. He even took a Harmonizers CD with him into space!

On then to the final part of the tour to New York to be hosted by the Westchester Chordsmen and concluding with a joint concert in New York.

As part of the fund raising campaign the Kingsmen are staging ’An Evening of A Cappella’ concert at St Saviour’s Church, Dartmouth, on Friday, April 27, at 7.30pm. Tickets available on the door are £10 and £5 for U18. Their guests are the Dartmouth Rock Choir and Panache Ladies Harmony Chorus from Kingsbridge.

You can keep abreast of the USA tour on the Kingsmen Facebook page or their website: www.kingsmen.org.uk