Barbershop is four-part, a capella, close harmony singing. The melody is carried in the second part, called the lead. The tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the low notes, and the baritone sings the "other harmony," sometimes above and sometimes below the melody. Barbershop is a uniquely American art form, sprung from the ear-harmonizers or "woodshedders" of turn-of-the-century America. There are currently 825 chapters and over 2000 registered quartets belonging to the Barbershop Harmony Society.
What is barbershop harmony?