Local a capella group elmoTHUMM was recently crowned the Midwest champions at a vocal competition in Chicago, and will compete in the national championship in California next month.
There’s only one problem if they end up winning ? they’d get a recording contract. ‘We don’t have the time,? laughed Adam Westmoreland, a singer with the group. ‘We’re working as much as we want to work now.?
That’s because elmoTHUMM doesn’t see their singing as a paycheck, they see it as a hobby.
The five members of elmoTHUMM, Ed Pendelton and Jason Miller of South Lyon, Paul Ellinger of Canton, Greg Vaden of Milford, and Oxford resident Westmoreland, were sought out to be a part of this year’s Harmony Sweepstakes, the worlds largest a capella competition.
The group first entered the competition in 2000, but only placed third. They knew this year would be different.
ElmoTHUMM, who sings anything from classic rock to R & B to Motown, joined hundreds of other groups from around the Midwest for the regional competition in Chicago last month.
They sang their arrangement of The Monkees? ‘Last Train to Clarksville,? ‘Shooting Star? by Bad Company,? and an original song they wrote called ‘I Want You? in front of about 800 people at the North Shore Theater and took first place.
No one from Michigan has taken first place at the competition before.
Westmoreland said the group wasn’t nervous at all and made sure they didn’t ‘cater the show to the judges or the audience.?
‘Because we were just up there singing for ourselves, I think that’s what made it work,? he said.
The minute they won best arrangement for ‘Last Train to Clarksville,? Westmoreland said he knew they’d make it to the top.
Sure enough they did. They received a certificate and membership to the Contemporary A Capella Society of America.
ElmoTHUMM started as a quartet in 1998 and became a quintet in 2000.
The group performs at Oxford and other city events, like Concerts in the Park, founders festivals and county fairs.
But don’t confuse these guys with the typical barbershop or vocal jazz style because Westmoreland said they are ‘far from both.?
Now ElmoTHUMM, who borrowed their unique name from a retired accountant found in the phone book, will join seven other finalists from Seattle, New York City, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Boston on May 6 to compete for the national title.
Although the competition is less than a month away, Westmoreland said the group hasn’t really practiced much, but they ‘know each other so well and have been singing for so long? that they only tend to practice a few hours before going on stage.
‘Sometimes, if we feel very good, we don’t rehearse it at all,? he said.
Decked out in their bowling outfits, which consists of jeans, basketball shoes and bowling shirts to match, ElmoTHUMM will have 10-12 minutes to perform.
They plan on singing the same songs they did for the regional competition, except for ‘I Want You.? They will sing their rendition of ‘America the Beautiful? instead.
‘I know we’ll make it to the top three,? Westmoreland predicted. ‘I don’t see any reason that we can’t win it.?
Check out elmoTHUMM’s website at www.elmoTHUMM.com. Also, ElmoTHUMM will be working with the Oxford High School Chorale for a special performance on May 12 at the Performing Arts Center.
Don’t miss it!