Quartet Sings Love Letters, Surprises Sweethearts Across Oakland County

For four harmonizing men, Valentine's Day is a vacation day — and one of their favorites of the year.

They call themselves the Harmony Preserve Quartet — part of the Heart of the Hills Barbershop Chorus, based in Rochester. On Valentines Day, they were busy delivering singing love letters throughout Oakland County.

There was a preschool teacher in Troy. A company president in Rochester Hills. In all, they had 13 deliveries from West Bloomfield to Royal Oak — and even as far off as Chesterfield.

"The most fun is to surprise someone at their work," said Bill Sheaffer of West Bloomfield. "It's a total hoot to see the range of emotion you get from people."

The nonprofit chrous sings at city festivals and private gatherings. The quartet has been singing together for seven years, though the bigger chorus has been together for decades.

"One of the things we hope to do is to encourage others to sing with us," said Don Ledwith of Rochester Hills, who calls himself the group's "best man," meaning he is the one who presents the flowers and takes photos — and sometimes hums along.

Dan Latulippe of Troy and David Pearcy and Wayne Andrews of Rochester Hills are the other members of the quartet.

On Tuesday morning, the group sang to Tom Jacobs, president of Bushings, Inc. in Rochester Hills. They then traveled to Troy, where they surprised Elizabeth Neuville, a preschool teacher at Niles Center School.

Singing Valentines are $50 and include a rose, a photo and two songs. The group had a few openings available still on Tuesday afternoon; call Ledwith at 248-953-5108 to place your order.

For more about the quartet and the chorus, visit heartofthehillschorus.org.