The Dapper Dans

The Dapper Dans first started when Disneyland¹s Tommy Walker contacted Park talent supervisor Chuck Corson and said that Disneyland needed a barbershop quartet. Corson (a former Stage Manager for the Fred Waring Chorale) contacted some of the singers from that group, and they came to Disneyland at his request. They began performing on Main Street, and after several changes the first long-running Dapper Dans quartet was formed. It consisted of John Borneman (tenor), Roger Axworthy (lead), T.J. Marker (bass) and Ted Nichols (baritone). This group worked together for years, and established the Disneyland Dapper Dans tradition. Later members were often recruited from nearby Chapman College, where an active music department groomed students to come to Disneyland as professional musicians.

The Dapper Dans actually rival the Golden Horseshoe Revue in their longevity at Disneyland. Other Disneyland musical groups (like the Disneyland Band or the Make Believe Brass) consist of "cast members," but the Dapper Dans have always created their own material, organized themselves and had more autonomy. The quartet has done many outside gigs and has toured Sweden twice, Australia once. They¹re full-time now, but they¹ve worked part-time, weekends only, and have even been at times on hiatus from the park. One of their strengths has been flexibility. As live entertainment at Disneyland evolved, they have adapted and appeared as Danny and the Dappers (for the 1987/88 Blast to the Past), they¹ve sung sea chanteys as the Jolly Tars, cowboy music as the Cowboy Buckaroos and become the scary Monster Shop Quartet during the Halloween Treat events.

The current leader of the Dapper Dans is lead singer Shelby Grimm. He has been with the quartet since 1987, and is now the keeper of the group¹s music library and other historic material. He told us that their custom Schwinn four-seater was ordered especially for the Dapper Dans by Walt Disney.

Live!

They Wrote 'Em In The Good Old Days Muppets Theme Chimeology Mr. Sandman Just In Case You Change Your Mind Do You Remember When? Can Can Alice In Wonderland/All In The Golden Afternoon Medley Chopsticks Pop Goes The Weasel Cruella De Vil I Love To Laugh You're The Flower Of My Heart, Sweet Adeline Main Street Electrical Parade Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis Standing On The Corner I'm Sitting On Top Of The World You've Got A Friend In Me Disney Medley Happy Days Are Here Again Hi! Neighbor For Me And My Gal Yankee Doodle Dandy Grimm, Grinning Ghosts M-O-T-H-E-R Swinging On A Star CD Jingle Oh! Susanna Who Will Buy? So Long

When the paint was still drying on the faux Victorians of Disneyland's Main Street, USA, it was abundantly clear that four of the people who "lived" there needed to be a barbershop group, that made-in-America musical invention. The Dapper Dans were invited/created and fell in love with the place; the Main Street audiences loved them right back, and one of the most enduring barbershop groups in entertainment history was born. "Live!" showcases the Dans in their element, in front of live Disneyland audiences, and it contains 30 of their most popular songs. Heavily featured are the Deagan Organ Chimes (hand-held antique tubular bells played by the quartet). There's a fair amount of schmaltz, bad puns and general silliness of course, but the songs are pure, sweet Americana, with some Disney favorites like "Disney Medley," "Cruella De Vil," "Alice in Wonderland/All in the Golden Afternoon Medley," "Muppets Theme," "I Love to Laugh," "You've Got A Friend in Me," "Main Street Electrical Parade" and "Grim, Grinning Ghosts." Then we have feel-good nostalgic classics like "They Wrote 'Em in the Good Old Days," Do You Remember When," "You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Adeline," "Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis," "Happy Days Are Here Again," "Swinging On a Star," Yankee Doodle Dandy," Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna" and many others. All of the yummy harmonizing we love from a bona fide American institution!

To find a specific song on any recording (or to find recordings by group name or CD title),
pick the search method and type the item you are searching for here:

By Song Title

By Group Name

By Recording Title

By Music Category Any Category Contemporary Vocal Jazz Barbershop Doo-Wop Choral Collegiate Gospel World

    or use our for more search options