1998 Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival

14th Annual

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival is the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.

1998 Chicago Champions

Blind Man’s Bluff

Bluff rock is vocal rock - more than vocal. more than rock. aggressive. dirty. human. texture that tingles. both familiar and surprisingly unique. gritty but not grating. edgy but not hard edged. a sound you've never heard before. unquestionably modern. undeniably rock. rich. dark. driving. enticingly organic. depth without pretention. no holds barred and widely appealing. what you're waiting for - believe your ears.

1998 Results
1st	Blind Man’s Bluff
2nd	Poor Baker’s Dozen
3rd	The Shaggy Boys
Audience Favorite	Delusions of Grandeur
Best Original Arrangement	“Just What I Needed”
Best Original Arrangement	“Bei Mir Bist Du Schien” - Listen Up!
Best Original Song	“Wake Up Call” by David Wilner
Best Original Song	“Shagabego” by Matt Anthoney

1998 Participating Groups

Blind Man’s Bluff
Bluff rock is vocal rock - more than vocal. more than rock. aggressive. dirty. human. texture that tingles. both familiar and surprisingly unique. gritty but not grating. edgy but not hard edged. a sound you've never heard before. unquestionably modern. undeniably rock. rich. dark. driving. enticingly organic. depth without pretention. no holds barred and widely appealing. what you're waiting for - believe your ears.
Listen to: Virtual Insanity | Listen to: Wake Up Call

Members: Nick Geisinger, Chaz Ruhl, Drew Breen, David Wilner

Delusions of Grandeur

Listen Up!
Harmony, humor and vocal pyrotechnics. Listen Up! delivers a truly unique approach to Jewish entertainment. Our performances create a special connection families and communities across the US. See our website (link below) for testimonials, videos of our rehearsal and performances, and information about our recordings.

Poor Baker’s Dozen
Poor Baker's Dozen seeks to honor and invite the presence of the Living God through honest, heartfelt worship. Our music is an outward expression of the joy, peace and love we have found in Jesus Christ and our desire is to see God move among His people and minister only as He can. Our message is two-fold: new life in Christ for those who have not received Jesus, and abundant life for those who have been walking in the truth.

The Shaggy Boys
Members: Matt Anthoney

1998 Judges TBA

Complete list of 1998 participants

National Finals Recordings

Interested in Performing?

We are always seeking groups who would like to participate in our events.

Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between 3 and 12 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may be waived.

How to enter

Please send music and photos to the regional director :

David Wilner (Chicago) David Wilner competed in the Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes with Blind Man’s Bluff and Fiveplay, winning First Place, Audience Favorite, and Best Original Song with each group. During his six years in Blind Man’s Bluff, David toured nationally and recorded five albums. He also spent seven years with the classic rock quartet Ac•Rock, recording two albums. Today, David emcees events throughout the Chicagoland area and performs in the band The Four C Notes. He has been the regional producer of the Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes since 2017.

P.O. Box 4502, Naperville, IL 60567
847-226-3366
david@davidwilner.com

Our Hall of Fame - The Harmony Sweepstakes National Champions