By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The A Cappella Gospel sing started in Indiana in 2011 as the brainchild of Ray Yutzy and the rest of the Sharon Bethel Quartet. Its first Kansas event is Saturday in Pleasantview.
"We would be invited to different gospel sings, some outdoors, some indoors, and I'd go home and I'd think, they'd have 1000 people there sometimes, I'd think, what would happen if you tried to do something like this all a capella?," Yutzy said. "We would usually be the only a capella group there. In 2010, a good friend of mine convinced me that there's only one way to find out if it would work and that's try it."
The event has been happening in Goshen, Indiana since then, but the idea is to be able to have some other regional events, with the first of those here this weekend. Singing without instruments can be a challenge.
"Sometimes, when you make a mistake, it's very glaring," Yutzy said. "There's no instruments to cover it up, but it's a lot of fun. We enjoy it. To be able to just blend and harmonize, it's something that you kind of grow up with in a church where you've always sung a cappella. It's a lot easier when you grew up with it."
There is no charge for the event, but free will offerings will be taken and food will be available for purchase.
Five A Capella groups will perform, Alive Quartet, Cross Walk Quartet, Message of Hope, Neuenschwander Family and the Sharon Bethel Men.
Here is the schedule of performances at the Pleasantview Activity Center at 5015 South Dean Road, southwest of Hutchinson:
3:45 p.m. Prayer & Announcements
4:00 p.m. Sharon Bethel Men
4:20 p.m. Message of Hope
4:40 p.m. Alive Quartet
5:00 p.m. Neuenschwander Family
5:20 p.m. Cross Walk Quartet
5:40 p.m. TBA
6:00 p.m. Message of Hope
6:20 p.m. Sharon Bethel Men
6:40 p.m. Neuenschwander Family
7:00 p.m. Alive Quartet
7:20 p.m. Cross Walk Quartet
7:40 p.m. TBA
8:00 p.m. Sharon Bethel Men
8:20 p.m. Alive Quartet
8:40 p.m. Cross Walk Quartet
9:00 p.m. Message of Hope
9:20 p.m. Neuenschwander Family
9:40 p.m. Finale