UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 29, Page 3
April 29, 1993
Making music; Aging 'teens in love' to perform at benefit concert


WANTED: Tenor saxophone to play with middle-aged '50s vintage band. Must be
fun-loving and enjoy early rock 'n' roll. Call Jerry or Tom in the English
department....

     Not every day would you find two English scholars avidly seeking a sax
player. But Jerry Beasley and Tom Calhoun aren't your average English
professors. What they are is the Elderly Brothers-one of the hottest local
bands around, with a twist.
     The two don't play the head-banging music of today, or even the acid
rock of yesteryear. The profs play only oldies- like Elvis, The Crests and,
of course, the Everly Brothers. In fact, Delaware Today magazine named
Beasley and Calhoun the Best Oldies Duo around.
     The Elderly Brothers' "fame" came somewhat suddenly and was spread by
word of mouth, rather than promotion. Beasley and Calhoun met in the late
'60s, when they both joined the Department of English. They discovered that
they shared a love of the innocent sound of early rock 'n' roll, and the
rest, well, was history. Sort of.
     They began hamming it up together at the English Department Songfest.
     "It was amateurish fun, but we wanted to polish it up," Calhoun said.
Word got out of their talent and people began calling.
     "We rarely have to hustle a job. They just call us," Beasley said.
     "Our name rings bells with a lot of retirement homes in the area, and
we often do shows for senior citizens," Calhoun added.
     The Elderly Brothers say they really enjoy performing for seniors. And
funny things happen whenever they do.
     "The seniors become like geriatric teeny-boppers, dancing and singing
to songs of their kids' generation. Songs they probably hated then,"
Beasley said.
     "One time," Calhoun recalled, "they started a Bunny Hop all around the
center, and it was led by a lady in a wheelchair!"
     "It is very rewarding to play for a senior center. Many of them are
lonely and sick, and they seem to just come alive," Beasley said.
     Even though the two men perform under the name "Elderly Brothers,"
don't start offering them senior citizen discounts. They're only
middle-aged.
     They bill themselves as "still teenagers in love." After speaking with
them for only a few moments, it's apparent that it's an apt description.
They are silly and intelligent, goofy and sincere, and 100 percent in love
with their music.
     Calhoun remembers what it was like to grow up four decades ago.
     "It was a naive culture," he said, "full of heartfelt sincerity. The
lyrics were straightforward and expressed people's feelings. They weren't
socially and politically oriented like those of today. Teens were obsessed
with love and their steady. It was a time of innocence."
     Beasley added, "We just haven't gotten over it yet-being teenagers in
love. So we're going to exploit it. It's an inherent joke. We're guys in
our 50s, singing about what it is like to be a teenager in love."
     The music allows them to take a break from the seriousness of
academia, they said. Most of all, it provides a chance to relax and laugh
at themselves.  Between academics and practicing, not much free time is
left. That's okay, they added, because practicing music is how they would
want to spend the time anyway.
     The idea of the First Annual Farewell Concert was conceived last May,
when they became more ambitious about their music, Beasley said. It was a
benefit performance, with all proceeds going to a local charity.
     "The Emmaus House is a local center for the homeless, the only one of
its kind in New Castle County. It is for the community and operated by
Homeward Bound, Inc.," Beasley said.
     The center not only shelters the homeless and abused but also has an
intensive 40-day rehabilitation program. The staff works closely with its
clients to help them find jobs and housing and to solve any underlying
problems that may exist. There is more than 90 percent success rate at the
Emmaus House, Beasley and Calhoun explained.
     Emmaus House is supported by private donations, which is why the
Elderly Brothers perform an annual benefit. Occasionally, during the year,
they go over for supper and sing songs for the residents. Mainly, their
volunteer time is spent organizing the concert. Without a manager or
publicist, they do all of the planning and coordinating themselves.
     Their dedication to the Emmaus house is obvious. As soon as the
Elderly Brothers begin to speak of it, they become serious. It is probably
the only time they aren't cracking jokes.
     The first Annual Farewell Concert last year was such a huge
success- standing room only-and such a good time, they decided to do it
again.
     "Last year," Calhoun remembered, "a group of teens burst into the
concert, parading around with signs that read, 'Elvis is dead!' and 'Long
live the Elderly!'"
     Beasley interjected, "One of them was my daughter!"
     At this year's performance, Beasley and Calhoun will be accompanied by
their back-up band, the Younger Set (minus a tenor sax). There also will be
a special guest appearance by the Golden Blues, an a cappella campus group.
     The Elderlys will perform about 24 songs from their extensive
repertoire. They're always sure to play a few hits from their idols, the
Everly Brothers. Other songs they've been known to perform range from
Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel" to "Runaround Sue" by Dion and the Belmonts to
"Sincerely," originally done by The Crests.
     They even cover "Wake Up, Little Susie" and the Beatles' "When I'm
64." Some of their best songs are the ones they play to their own creative
lyrics. These songs aren't going to be revealed until the concert in May.
     Beasley, who calls himself a guru of early rock, joked that his only
fear is that his students may see one of his concerts, which would leave
him with no dignity, authority or power in the classroom. But, turning
serious, he said he likes when students are able to laugh at and with him.
     "We're fun, goofy, silly all at once, but we do work hard. We really
do have a good time and we think it shows," Beasley said.
     Calhoun agreed, "We're finally doing what we've always jabbered on
about."
                                        -Jenni Collins

Upcoming appearances

     * Second Annual Farewell Concert, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 8,
       Newark Hall, Academy Street.
       Students $5; Senior Citizens: $5; Adults: $7 (A benefit event for
       Emmaus House, sponsored by Writers Inc.)
     * "As I See It" talk show, 9-9:30 p.m., April 29, TCI Cable, Channel 28