The Last Resort!

                                        Mary Voll, Barb Seith, Lonnie Finnie and Keith Gatling

This very popular mostly-women's quartet was launched in the winter/spring of 1977, and started as a womens' trio, a la The Andrews Sisters.  Barbara Seith recalls, "The Last Resort started because Mary starting singing Sentimental Journey and Lonnie and I started singing harmony on a break in the Chapel. We decided it sounded pretty good and that we could be a group. Mary came up with the name - I think it might have been a name she had previously used.  There might have been some subtext about it being a non-barbershop group and therefore never being allowed to sing in the concerts. I did most of the arranging for the group -- although we used some published women's trio stuff (Steam Heat, Dear Hearts and Gentle People), or we borrowed from the women's barbershop group (Snap, Crackle, Pop)." 

So how did a bass of all people end up being part of the group?  "They were singing 'Chapel of Love' in the choir lounge," recalls Keith, "when I just happened to walk by and added the 'ding dongs' underneath it as I walked down the hallway. They liked it, but were hesitant about becoming yet another choir quartet. What had made them special was that they were a trio. But eventually I became 'one of the girls', to the point where I was regularly practicing in women's bathrooms with them before gigs."

                                                                       All files are .mp3

Sentimental Journey    Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy        In The Mood                                                   

A Summer Place           Chattanooga Choo Choo          Chopsticks    

No Goodbyes                Dear Hearts & Gentle People    Side By Side

Lullaby of Broadway     Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me    Snap Crackle Pop                 

Chapel of Love              I Got Rhythm                          Steam Heat