Caroling, Caroling, Now We Go

By Tom Obert

The Jefferson High School Carolers performed at the winery last night, under appropriately Christmassy conditions. Of course they were terrific. We started the evening there with new Diehard Fans, Julie & Mike Shaghnessy and Diane & Dean Hergert, who left early to catch the Don Shelby Christmas show at the AAAA.

Later, high school classmate, Lynne Spellman Lommen, and her husband Paul, sat at an adjoining table. Lynne said she was not a member of the carolers in our day (she was in the Sextet), but her sister Jackie was. Paul, who is a '57 alum, said the carolers didn't exist in his day. So, applying some elementary logic, I would assume the carolers came into existence some time between 1957 and 1965. The Lommens, who at one time lived in Key West for 5 years, are now owners of and residents in a 10-acre (I believe) wilderness area by Carlos State Park, where they enjoy the solitude and the 4-season climate of Minnesota.

(The Carolers were started by Murrae Freng in 1963. They toured all the downtown commercial spots -- Osterbergs, Travelers, and were well-received by service clubs and local television programmers. The girls wore matching, handmade Victorian-looking dresses made of corduroy, the men had top hats, red vests and cutaways. Never did they appear in a liquor establishment of any kind. Included in the dozen singers in 1965 was Paul Strandberg, noted tenor. -- TB)