The Four Renegades, crowned the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Champion in 1965, have left a lasting legacy in the realm of barbershop music.
Originally formed in 1955 as the Up-N-Atoms quartet, they emerged from the merger of two college quartets that had competed in the Illinois District contest. The original lineup featured Joe Sullivan as tenor, Jim Mahar as lead, Thom Hine as baritone, and Tom Felgen as bass. After Thom Hine's departure, Warren “Buzz” Haeger, the tenor from the 1955 bronze medalist quartet, the Four Tissimos, joined as the new baritone. Under the guidance of renowned coach Lyle Pilcher, the group's configuration was altered, placing Buzz in the tenor role, Joe as lead, and Jim as baritone. This new arrangement led to a rebranding as “The Four Renegades.” Their efforts quickly paid off, as they secured 10th place in their inaugural international contest in 1957 and claimed the Illinois District Championship later that year.
Unfortunately, Buzz had to leave the quartet to assist with his father’s overhead crane company. The group then welcomed Clair DeFrew, who had performed in several Illinois District quartets, as their new tenor. Competing in the 1958 international contest in Columbus, Ohio, they finished in 13th place. After this contest, Jim took a job with a law firm in Chicago, prompting the quartet to take a break. Fortunately, by mid-1959, Buzz had exited the crane business and sought to reunite the Renegades. Joe and Tom were on board but needed a new baritone, and Lyle Pilcher connected them with Jim Foley from Gary, Indiana. Jim’s addition proved to be a perfect fit.
The quartet then began a steady ascent in international competitions, achieving 9th place in Dallas in 1960, 7th in Philadelphia in 1961, and 3rd place bronze in Kansas City. Their performance in Toronto, Canada, in 1963 earned them 4th place. They also gained popularity as a show quartet, presenting engaging packages such as their World War I set featuring “They Were All Out of Step but Jim.”
In late 1963, Joe Sullivan announced his departure for personal reasons, leading the quartet to recruit Ben Williams, who had limited quartet experience during his ten years as a barbershopper. During his audition, Ben humorously responded to inquiries about his vocal range, stating, “About 200 yards.” After learning several new songs, the quartet quickly resumed a full show schedule. At the 1964 contest in San Antonio, Texas, they achieved 2nd place with silver medals, a remarkable achievement given their recent lineup changes. They subsequently released their debut album, “Command Performance,” featuring many of their popular show tunes, including the well-loved “Old Folks.”
In 1965, the quartet intensified their rehearsal schedule to prepare for the international contest while maintaining a full performance calendar. Their efforts culminated in the Boston competition, where they performed songs such as “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone,” “This Is All I Ask,” and “Cohan Medley.” The quartet scored an unprecedented 429 points ahead of the second-place group, marking the highest scores ever recorded by the society since its inception in 1939.
Following their championship, The Four Renegades toured extensively across the country and recorded their second album, a learning track album for the Barbershop Society. They made notable appearances, including two performances on the Mike Douglas Show, a television spot with Patty Page, singing at Disneyland with the Dapper Dans, and even a performance on stage at Carnegie Hall. In 1968, they participated in a USO tour of Vietnam with Bob Hope, entertaining troops, particularly those in hospitals. The following year, they released their third and final album, “Curtain Call,” which included fan favorites such as “Last Night Was The End Of The World” and Buzz Haeger’s notable “Lost In The Stars.”
The Four Renegades officially disbanded in 1972 after nearly 17 years together. Ben and Jim later formed a new quartet, “Saturday’s Heroes,” which became a two-time international finalist. Tom Felgen secured his second gold medal in 1981 as the bass for the Chicago News, while Buzz Haeger continued to arrange music and perform in various successful quartets.
In the late 1980s, the quartet made a brief return to the show circuit, with Ray Henders of the Chicago News taking on the tenor role and Buzz switching to bass. They reunited for a final performance in 1990 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their championship. The quartet was inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
Today, Tom Felgen is the last surviving member of The Four Renegades, residing in York, PA, with his wife, Jane. He remains semi-active as a tour guide in Gettysburg and sings bass in the “Last Resort Quartet.” Ben Williams continued his musical pursuits until retiring to Elkhorn, Wisconsin, where he passed away from a heart attack on January 6, 1993, at the age of 64. Jim Foley later won a senior international gold medal as the baritone of “The New and Improved Industrial Strength Mini Chorus” and lived in Illinois until his death on July 6, 2003, at the age of 82. Buzz Haeger achieved his seniors gold in 1994 alongside Jim and continued to arrange music for several quartets throughout his life. He was inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society Hall of Fame in 2006 and passed away on November 3, 2007, at the age of 82.
The Four Renegades are regarded as pioneers in the barbershop world, setting standards that few quartets have matched and are still celebrated today as one of the finest barbershop quartets in history.
