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<\/a>The Fun Bunch was founded by Art Bernard, who recently passed away at age 95.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really thrilled him to make people happy,\u201d said his widow Dorothy Bernard. \u201cHe was doing this for other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy said Art started The Fun Bunch 18 years ago after retiring from a sales career. However, his love of music began much earlier in life, playing clarinet in a Chicago high school band. He even received a college scholarship in music, but his mother refused it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always played the clarinet, no matter what,\u201d Dorothy said.<\/p>\n
The Fun Bunch is now organized by James Brown who got involved after meeting Art Bernard two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were kindred spirits immediately,\u201d he said. \u201cI specialize in really bad jokes and puns. We had this instant rapport based upon bad humor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown, who calls his volunteer work with the group a \u201clabor of love,\u201d prepares Thursday through Sunday for The Fun Bunch on Monday, creating and refining karaoke tracks for the 14 songs sung by the group and soloists. Everyone is invited to sing a solo regardless of voice quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot everyone has a voice like Pavarotti you know,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel glad they feel comfortable enough to sing. I do my best to try to make it fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown\u2019s love of music began at age 6, when he listened to records by Les Paul, Mary Ford, and Rosemarie Clooney. At 17, he bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He later taught himself to play piano keyboard and bass guitar.<\/p>\n He studied Theatre Arts at San Diego State University for three years before enlisting in The National Guard during the Vietnam War. He then took a \u201ctemporary\u201d job, lasting 33 years, doing installation and repair work for the Pacific Telephone Company.<\/p>\n Brown also did some professional music work \u2014 including composing and arranging music for the play, \u201cThe Tailor of Gloucester\u201d based upon a Beatrix Potter book. He said he has no regrets about not making music his career because he made the best choices he could with the information he had.<\/p>\n In addition to amateurs and semi-pros like Brown, The Fun Bunch now draws retired professional musicians as well. John \u201cHoot\u201d McDonald, a saxophone player, is a weekly instrumental soloist with the group. In the early \u201960s, he performed with the likes of Sonny and Cher, Glen Campbell, and the Righteous Brothers. In 1963, he and Carlos Santana played in Tijuana and in 1968 he performed with The Shirelles in downtown San Diego. He still performs with different bands but finds the singing class therapeutic.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Fun Bunch is the only fun I have anymore,\u201d he said. \u201cIt cheers me up since I\u2019m suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>