All Electric City Chorus Photos

Pittsburghers 1948 Championship Quartet

A look back in time: The Pittsburghers, 1948 SPEBSQSA International Champions. L to R: Harry Conte (Tenor), John “Jiggs” Ward (Bari), Tom Palamone (Lead), Bill Conway (Bass - top right).
Due to a serious illness that affected his vocal chords and effectively ended his competition career, Bill Conway was limited in his later years to singing through a trachial amplifier, but that never slowed him down. In the mid 1950's, his company transferred him to Canajoharie, from where he began making 70-mile round trips to attend ECC practices. He pitched in in many ways to build up the Chorus, becoming stage manager for the chorus' shows, building much of the scenery, and all the while offering valuable advice & coaching to the chorus & its quartets. In 1990, the chapter established the Bill Conway award, to honor particularly outstanding achievement and contribution to the chapter. The award isn't made every year. But it's presented whenever in the judgment of the President, it's especially deserved.