About Jay

Jay Dearling, like many, started his singing experience in church choir which in later years switched to pop music with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Hollies so learnt guitar in his early teens. He performed covers with pop groups – switching between guitar, drums and keyboard as well as singing main vocals and harmony.

He started his barbershop experience when he heard The Hove Harmonisers on Radio Brighton and found a couple of the singers as colleagues in his workplace. In 1974 he was introduced to their American MD Dale Gauss, who was in the UK on a business contract. The audition lasted about 30 seconds from which he was ‘placed’ in the Baritone section.

It wasn’t long before he was recruited into a quartet – Sound Idea – with Chuck Odom (Lead), Jonathon Hershman (Bass) and Derek Barton (Tenor). They competed at Conventions 1975 and 1976, both coming fifth.

It was also in 1974 when Jay was part of the collective of barbershop clubs that brought into being the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS). At that time, the MD of Crawley Chordsmen – Bob Walker – was appointed BABS Director of Music and it was Bob who recruited Jay to set up one of the judging sections which – at that time – was referred to as ‘Balance and Blend’. Jay never judged as he was always competing.

In 1978 a new quartet was formed – Class Distinction – with Jonathon Hershman (Lead), Graham Smith (Bass) and Alan Henderson (Tenor). With the ambition to get into the finals achieved, the quartet sat in the audience for the competition results. They were all astounded to be placed second. They were unable to compete the following year and later reformed into other quartets.

During his experience with Class Distinction, Jay became an ad-hoc arranger for the quartet and an avid collector of convention albums and tapes from BABS and SPEBSQSA plus choruses and quartets that had made their own recordings. He transcribed many arrangements from those recordings that were used by Class Distinction and later with the Hove Harmonisers when he became the MD in the mid-1980’s.

A new life, new family, new career and new commitments took Jay away from barbershop although he continued to sing in a casual basis in various environments that could accommodate his busy work schedule.

In 2009 Jay returned to barbershop by joining The Sussex Harmonisers and has been with them ever since, serving as Baritone section leader, Music Team leader and, on occasion, stepping in as a ‘night watchman’ MD till new appointments were made. He still does wave his arms from time-to-time but prefers to sing.

Jay was one of the founding members who created a new form of singing club. The Sussex Harmonisers now comprises three choruses; the male ‘Sussex Kings of Harmony’, the female ‘Sussex A Cappella’ and the mix of both into ‘The Sussex Harmonisers’. Details can be found at www.sussexharmonisers.org.uk

As well as singing with the ‘Sussex Kings of Harmony’ Jay is also a member of the mixed chorus ‘Endeavour’ during which time they achieved medal successes at the BABS and other conventions. In 2024, Endeavour performed during the Edinburgh Fringe on 10^th August at Greyfriars Kirk with matinée and evening performances (more details in the Blog). Chorus details can be found on www.endeavourchorus.com

Since 2009, he resumed his interest in arranging in a cappella styles for both male and mixed voices. As stated in the Home page, he now publishes his original arrangements on Sheet Music Plus and Sheet Music Direct as an environment where others can purchase songs which include all issues surrounding copyright and arranger’s fees, making life easier for choruses and quartets to obtain. These arrangements vary from the four voices of TTBB, SSAA and SATB to several voices in single gender and mixed.

He has undertaken commissions but these are not published. He has also studied arrangements used by high achieving choruses (Westminster, Ambassadors and Parkside for example) and modified them for an average choruses or quartet. But none of these have been sent to the original arrangers for approval – seeing them as a challenge and an exercise. Maybe one day.

Jay had joined Barbershop in 1974 and was one of the founding members of BABS – recognised at the 50th Anniversary celebrations at the 2024 convention in Harrogate with a Certificate of Appreciation presented by the Chair Shanna Wells – see the Gallery. That same year Jay was awarded Life Membership of BABS.

At the BABS 2026 national SING convention Jay competed once again with THE SUSSEX KINGS OF HARMONY and ENDEAVOUR MIXED CHORUS, this year wining the gold medal with ENDEAVOUR.

Jay still looks for original songs to work on – preferring those not yet put into a cappella. Always after a challenge, he continues to work on various male and female formations from four to eight voices – keep a regular eye on tab ARRANGEMENTS.