Listening to Platinum is like witnessing a high-wire act where the only safety net is the perfect alignment of four human voices. Their sound is defined by the 'ring' - that physical phenomenon where perfectly tuned intervals create audible overtones that weren't actually sung. It is warm, resonant, and deeply nostalgic, evoking a sense of communal craft and technical mastery.
What sets them apart is their sheer athletic endurance. They are famous for their 'posts,' those impossibly long held notes at the end of arrangements that seem to vibrate the very air in the room. While many vocal groups aim for blend, Platinum aims for impact, using Clay Hine's intricate arrangements to turn simple standards into dramatic, multi-layered experiences.
Start with their rendition of 'Be Our Guest' to hear their theatrical side, or 'Cuddle Up A Little Closer' to understand why they hold the record for the highest-scoring performance in barbershop history. It is music that demands your full attention to catch every subtle shift in the harmonic stack.
Platinum is a barbershop quartet, created in 1998 and the 2000 SPEBSQSA international quartet champions. They are famous for their long posts (held notes at the end of songs), particularly in their adaptation of the song Be Our Guest and in Clay Hine's arrangement of Auld Lang Syne, which is on Platinum's CD of the same name. Connelly and DeRosa were also members of the 1992 international champion quartet Keepsake. Connelly won gold in 1987 with the quartet Interstate Rivals and again in 2011 with the quartet Old School. DeRosa and Lewis are the lead and baritone of the 2007 Champions, MaxQ. Kevin Miles has been a member of The Dapper Dans and has served as the Voice of Epcot Center, both at Walt Disney World. Platinum was notable for scoring the most points for a single quartet's song in the history of the contest with their rendition of Cuddle Up A Little Closer, Lovey Mine, in which they scored 1438 points out of a possible 1500.
Shares voice as instrument, choir/choral, vocal jazz, sentimental (signature)
Shares swing, voice as instrument, choir/choral, vocal jazz (subgenre)
Shares swing, vocal jazz, sentimental, traditional pop (subgenre)
Shares voice as instrument, choir/choral, vocal jazz, sentimental (signature)
Shares voice as instrument, choir/choral, vocal jazz, sentimental (signature)
Shares choir/choral, vocal jazz, sentimental, traditional pop (instrumentation)
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