Every now and then, in Quartet singing, four guys who have been singing in other groups for years find their musical paths crossing - and something special happens! The Happiness Emporium was formed in December, 1972, and right away they sounded like a winner. In their first year and a half they won 4 contests and placed in the Top 10 in International Competition. Then, a year later, in June, 1975, the Happiness Emporium was proclaimed the International Champions of Barbershop Quartet singing.

The members of the quartet have a combined total of over 125 years of quartet experience. They have sung with 7 District Champion quartets, and have sung for Barbershop Chapters all over America, Canada, England, Sweden and Ireland. Two of the members have toured Pacific military hospitals on USO tours with their previous quartets. In October of 2003, they led their second tour to Ireland, where the H.E. was the featured quartet of the Irish International Barbershop Convention in Dublin.

The Emporium is a remarkably versatile singing group, equally proficient with "pure" barbershop arrangements, modern harmonies, gospel, show tunes, country, nostalgic medleys and comedy. One reason for the success of the Happiness Emporium is the matched unit sound of four excellent voices. Each of the four is often featured in solo numbers backed up by the other three. Word has gotten around that the H.E. is no ordinary quartet. They have performed for countless conventions, coast-to-coast barbershop shows, variety shows, radio and TV, the Grand Ole Opry, on New York's Broadway, and London's Barbican Centre.

The quartet has preserved their special sound on ten audio recordings and a video containing two of their shows since winning the International Championship. Their great sounds, are available on digital compact disks, plus a DVD offering of "Double Feature", previously only available on video tape. Samples from each of the CDs are available to hear at the recordings section of the website.

In year 2000, the Happiness Emporium recorded their first all-gospel album, "Beneath the Cross.” This was followed in 2004, with the release of another all-gospel album, “Beneath the Cross II.” The latest gospel album is called "Golden Gospel", and it features instrumental accompaniment in the southern gospel style.

The quartet took over the Good News! gospel quartet program following the retirement of three of the founders; Jerry Fairchild, Joe Mazzone and Dale Deiser. Good News! albums are offered in barbershop gospel style, including music arrangement folios and learning CD’s and tapes. Since taking on the Good News! ministry, the quartet has released three new gospel learning folios and the associated learning CD’s in the Good News! series. They are Volume VIII - "Tell the Story", Volume IX - "Faith of Our Fathers”, and Volume X - "The King and I."

New features of Volume VIII and IX included learning CDs with both part predominant tracks (for learning) and part missing tracks (for rehearsing and singing along with the Good News! Quartet). Another new feature included special package pricing for quartets, (the Quartet Special) including all necessary folios (four), four learning CDs (one for each part) and a bonus full mix CD to hear how the final product sounds as done by the Good News! (Happiness Emporium).

Volume X includes more new features, including instrumental accompaniment. The rehearsal and performance tracks are available, along with the traditional arrangement folios and learning CDs.

Year 2010 found the quartet producing another gospel album, Golden Gospel II, which was released in May. The Good News! version, Volume XI (Northern Gospel) was released in July. The new albums feature ten favorites, likely known and loved by all gospel music enthusiasts. These albums also feature a fantastic piano player, Craig Wasner, whose playing will find you listening and marveling at his beautiful touch with the songs and with the quartet! The quartet performed a number of the songs at Good News! Gospel Sing and the AIC Show in Philadelphia July.

You can request a catalog for all Happiness Emporium and Good News! products from the address that follows or pick one up at their recordings table at performances. Their recordings and barbershop gospel arrangements may be purchased at performances, on the H.E. web site, or from Emporium Recordings, 1308 Blue Phlox Court, Northfield, MN 55057. Performance bookings may be arranged by email to rodlead@hotmail.com or by calling 507/645-5750. (January through April, call 239-498-2598) The address of their internet web site is www.HappinessEmporium.com.