The Dartmouth Aires

The Dartmouth Aires is a collegiate a cappella group from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The group came in second place in the third season of the NBC musical competition The Sing-Off.

History

Dartmouth College's oldest a cappella singing group, the Aires were originally formed as the Injunaires in 1946 as an offshoot of the college Glee Club; the Dartmouth Aires broke with the Glee Club in the late 1970s.^[2]

Although the Aires usually have about eighteen members, group numbers vary on a term-to-term basis. Auditions are held at the beginning of every fall term. Members of the Aires pick what songs to arrange based on the group's tastes. Because the Aires are such a diverse group of people, they end up singing a lot of different styles. Currently, much of their repertoire consists of popular songs from the 1980s, 90s, and 00s, but it also includes many traditional Dartmouth songs, a few 1950s and 1960s tunes, selected hip hop tracks, and the occasional musical theater piece.^[2]

Most of the arrangements consist of a soloist, a dozen or so people singing background, and a vocal percussionist. The background of arrangements consists of a series of complex "instrument-like" syllables that, when sung together, resemble the background of the original song.^[2]

The Aires perform an average of two or three times a term at Dartmouth. They frequently take weekend road-trips, singing and reveling at other colleges, performing for high school music festivals, and entertaining at Dartmouth alumni clubs. Every winter break, the Aires tour the Eastern Seaboard, while traveling further afield every spring. Recent spring tours have taken them to Aruba, Costa Rica, Paris, Italy, Colorado, a few of the Hawaiian Islands, Florida, California,^[2] and Hong Kong.

Recent Aires accolades include winning the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) for Best All-Male Collegiate Album for both their 2003 ("Black Tie Affaire") and 2005 ("Impaired") album releases, as well as selection for Varsity Vocals' Best Of Collegiate A Cappella compilation CD in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012, and 2015 and selection for the Voices Only compilation CD in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. Their most recent album, Truth or Daire, was released in October 2014.

In 2011, they competed in season 3 of The Sing Off, a national reality show. The group performing on the show included 16 of the group's members from the classes of 2010 through 2014. Out of 16 original contestants, they made it to the top three and finished as first runner-up.^[3]

The Sing-Off Performances

The Dartmouth Aires made the following performances. Note that they did not perform in Episodes 1 and 3:^[4]

• Episode 2: Signature Songs
  • Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder
• Episode 4: Current Hits and '60s Favorites
  • Animal by Neon Trees
  • Pinball Wizard by The Who
• Episode 5: Guilty Pleasures
  • Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
• Episode 6: Hip Hop
  • Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida
• Episode 7: Superstar Medleys
  • Killer Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody and Somebody to Love by Queen
• Episode 8: Rock and Country
  • We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister
  • Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy by Big & Rich
• Episode 9: R&B
  • Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly
  • Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight & the Pips
• Episode 10: Mastermix Medleys and Judges' Choice
  • Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones/Born This Way by Lady Gaga
  • Shout by The Isley Brothers
  • Won in a "Sing Off Battle" with Afro Blue where they sung Somebody to Love by Queen (band)
• Episode 11: Live Finale
  • Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf (with Amy Whitcomb of Delilah)
  • Not the Same by Ben Folds (with Judge Ben Folds)
  • Somewhere from West Side Story (swan song)

Albums

• Truth or Daire (2014)
• Fresh Aire (2011)
• Extraordinaire (2008)
• Impaired (2004)
• Dartmouth Undying (2002)
• Black Tie Affaire (2002)
• Various older albums and records (1960-1990s)

Past Members of the Aires

Robert Paulson '45^[5]
Gordy Hinners '48
Orton "Tones" Hicks '49
Ralph Burgard '49
George Hinners '49
Robert Edgerton '50
Charley Gardner '50
Don Daniels '50
Ken Clark '50
Bill Embree '50
Charley Abbe '50
Bob Langworthy '51
Whitey Hand '51
Fred Swanson '51
J. Richard MacDonald '51
Wes Hannington '51
Fred Lord '51
Bill Sweet '52
Ronald Rose '52
Jay Stahl '52
Deke Dorey '52
Bubs Richardson '52
Ed Sumner '52
Frederick Whittemore '53
Leonard Gochman '53
Charles Fleet '53
Luke Case '54
Mead Metcalf '54
William Garland '54
Jack Reed '54
Bruce McAllister '54
Jack Wilder '55
Robert Schneider '55
Lynmar Brock Jr. '55
Lane "Woody" Goss '55
John Bassette, Jr. '55
Frederic Hawkins '55
Tom Schoonmaker '55
George Tracy '56
Tom Marvel '56
Jack Wheatley '56
Rog Schumacher '56
Al Welty '56
John Allen '56
Bill Gennerich '57
Jon White '57
Dan Frankel '57
Ed Waldron '57
Hew Baldwin '58
Marty Carter '58
Phil Stoddard '58
Bob Weston '59
Jack Keigley '59
Greg Holthusen '59
Robert Edgerton '59
Rev. Dick Watson '59
Alan Danson '60
Allan Glick '60
Ray Dilworth '60
Chuck Darrow '60
Ronald Forbes '61
Gilbert Low '61
Richard Welty '61
Michael Jenkin '61
Peter Holland '61
Paul Burkhart '62
Peter Halvorson '62
Mahlon "Sandy" Apgar '62
William Rice '62
Bob Esch '62
Bob Goldberg '63
Gene Kersey '63
Bob Silverman '63
Dave Plavin '64
Fred Gray '64
Art Simington '64
Jim Cornehlsen '64
Steve Ward '64
Nick Rowe '64
Ned McCook '65
Tom Campbell '65
Don MacCaulay, Jr. '65
John MacIndoe '65
Wayne Hill '66
Charles Reichart '66
Andy Rosenthal '66
John MacPherson '67
Alan Lieberman '67
Peter Thomas '67
John Kornet '67
John Steinle '67
Bob Packer III '67
Gintaras Dambrava '68
Eric Jones '68
Bryson Ley '68
Ted Gundy '68
David Peck '68
Paul Stageberg '68
Mike Hermann '69
Jim Miser '69
Bill Rollings '69
Joseph Serene '69
Jack Roberts '70
Larry Stephens '70
Robert Horner '70
Don MacMannis '70
John Sadd '70
Lawrence Detwiler '71
Hubert Russell '71
Andrew Hodgdon '71
Evan Ballard '72
Peter Kalafarski '72
John Richards, Jr. '72
Faulkner White '72
Wayne Scherzer '72
Baxter Fullerton '73
Stuart Pechter '73
Harry Brightly '73
Fred Rankin '73
Ronald Cathcart '74
Keith Shenberger '74
Allan Ziegler '74
Greg Pulis '74
Steve "Sevo" Severson '74
John Hokans '75
Robin "Robo" Felix '75
Gregory Fisher '75
Alexander Simpson '76
John Donigian '76
Paul "Laz" Lazarus '76
Parker "Speedo" MacDonell '76
Mark Lebowitz '77
Mark "Marco" Adams '77
Mark Beams '77
Al Henning '77
Bill Monsour '77
Darrell Pierce '77
Bob Rennicks '77
Douglas Gleason '78
Daryl "Borno" Bornstein '78
Mark Lena '78
Brian "Leecho" Litscher '78
Ed Jaicks '79
Don Reckenbeil '79
Tom Tomai '79
Joseph Hunter '80
William Jardin '80
Kris Treu '80
Tom "Bart" Bartlett '80
Dana Cetlin '80
Steve "Stevo" Taft '80
Brian Hussey '81
Bruce La Vallee-Davidson '81
Mark Sharp '81
Hugh Martinez '81
Fred "Freddie" Schroeder '81
Rick Silverman '81
James MacKenzie '82
Bill "Billy" Ragan '82
Michael "Janno" Jannery '82
David "Davo" Mason '83
Mario Cohn-Haft '83
Michael "DeFo" DeFelice '83
Craig "Craigo" Avril '83
David "C.D." Parker '83
Mark "Monty" Montgomery '84
Dan "Dan-Dan" Daniels '84
Eric Taylor '84
Craig "Byrno" Byrne '85
John "Boino" Boiney '85
Hal Espy '85
Bob "Lewbo" Lewert '85
Bill "Wordo/Guido" Worden '85
Phil "Anks" Ankeny '85
Tom "Cuts" Cutler '85
Adam "Seesman" Seessel '85
Chandler "Chaddo" Rosenberger '86
Nicholas "Niko" Skipitaris '86
Peter "Hendo" Henderson '86
Peter "Donk" DeLong '87
Tim "Bixbo" Bixby '87
Bruce "Bronco" Brough '87
Jeff "Lazlo" Lazarus '87
Chris "Q" Marquardt '87
John "Fuzzo" Cain '88
Christopher "Kello" Kelly '88
Tim "Clam" Claman '88
William "Willo" Hayden '88
Paul "Forno" Cachion '89
Stratford Dick '89
Andy "Bruno" Thompson '89
David Olson '89
John Rhee '89
Rob "Robo" Crawford '90
Nate "Waldo" Emerson '90
Peter "Baby Huey" Harvey '90
Bradford "Draino" Drazen '90
Geoffrey Blackwell '91
Jeff "Locko" Blackwell '91
Pete "Pookey" Fearey '91
Scott "Tweety" Sylvester '91
A. Keith "Astro" Willacy '91
Jud "Fang" Dean '92
Bill "Sledgo" Lehan '92
Ben "Ahnohld" Crawford '92
John "Uh-Oh" Ohe '92
Peter "Chaino" Vosshall '92
Ben "Falsetto" Farrell '93
Jeremy "Babba" Graves '93
Michael "Scrodo" Scodro '93
Andrew "Mayo" von Mayrhauser '93
Jonathan "Slow Mo" Kehl '94
Matthew "Zorro" Zavod '94
Mike "Rappo" Parsons '94
Kieran "Dingo" McNulty '95
Jose "Cuervo" Perez '95
Matt "Limbo" Reese '95
Dave "Rhino" Rinehart '95
Matthew "Tosko" Little '96
Dan "Goo" Gonzalez '96
Allen "Kongo" King '96
Michael "Testo" Roberts '96
Jonathan "Tato" Stewart '96
Brian "Djumpo" Dolan '97
J.C. "Hugo" Martinez '97
Chris "Yello" Pennock '97
Peter "IO" Yoo '98
Miles "Bingo" Bingham '98
Jason "Lego" Fleming '98
Marc "Dojo" Bruni '99
Pete "Lando" Land '99
Imani "Windo" Payne '99
Brian "Baco" Salazar '99
Evan "Demo" Rieder '00
Scott "Harpo" Davis '00
Jack "Destro" Rice '00
Adam "oDo" Ballard '00
Alex "Hasbro" Pennock '01
Jim "Sterno" McNicholas '01
Peter "Marvo" Leckerling '01
Bjorn "Njordo" Erickson '01
Bradford "Bino" McKeown '01
Matt "Bunko" Frankel '02
Eli "Gonzo" Jorne '02
Ushinde "Nupro" Payne '02
Tim "Toto" Miller '03
Chris "Dizno" Masone '02/GR
Bub "Torro" Cathcart '03
Tyler "Typo" Slade '03
Derek "Juno" Senft '03
Brian "Silo" Ni '03
Adam "Fromo" Dotson '03
Edward "Mojo" Wenger '03/GR
Ivan "Mello" Grant '04
Caz "Bo" Liske '04
Daren "Hijo" Simkin '04
Ian "Plinko" Storey '04
Micah "Cino" Dortch '05
Sean "Hilo" MacMannis '05
Pete "Krbo" Simpson '05
Kekane "Fivo" Yuen '05
A.J. "Vino" Bascom '06
Ricky "Zebo" Cole '06
Michael "Rollo" Saladik '06
Matt "Jojo" Schwartz '06
Derrick "Ino" Smith '07
Wes "Coko" Milks '07
Jarret "Pluto" Cato '07
Zack "Cazzo" Supalla '07
Chad "Cujo" Detloff '08
David "Lobo" Smith '08
Ben "Nomo" Davis '08
Jon "Pedo" Simpson '08
Zach "Deko" Chestnut '08
Nick "Bojo" Brown '09
Sean "Milo" Nelson '09
Will "Wavo" Raymer '09
Adam "Expo" Frank '09
Justin "Orko" Lerman '10
Dan "Ryo" Leopold'10
Jon "Eyso" Lohse '10
David "Popo" Peterson '10
Matt "Sparo" Wang '10
Brendan "Pseudo" Lynch-Salamon '10
Alex "Plato" Taylor '11
Fernando "Cheeto" Rodriguez-Villa '11
Mac "Tello" Morris '11
Jack "Koopo" Merrill '11
Ethan "Merlo" Weinberg '12
Michael "Nemo" Odokara-Okigbo '12
Henry "Tyco" Luehrman '12
Will "Brando" Hart '12
Nic "Falco" Chuaqui '12
Robbie "Otto" Hoffman '13
Clark "Gelo" Moore '13
Danny "Elmo" Freeman '13
Will "Primo" Lowry '13
Xavier "Dymo" Curry '14
Preston "Cato" Suan '14
Joe "Ringo" Singh '14
Nate "Zippo" Davis '14

References

External links

• Dartmouth Aires Official website
• Varsity Vocals
• Dartmouth Aires' repertoire
• Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)