Traveling can be an exciting adventure, but reaching your destination can often be a source of stress and frustration. Passengers on a flight from Indianapolis to New Orleans recently experienced an excruciating five-hour delay, enough to test the patience of even the most seasoned travelers.
Fortunately, their ordeal was made more bearable by the presence of a resourceful flight attendant named Kari Mann. Determined to keep the passengers happy and calm during the lengthy delay, Kari began moving through the plane, engaging in conversations with passengers. As she made her rounds, she stumbled upon an elderly barbershop quartet among the passengers. This quartet, known as Port City Sound, consisted of four gentlemen: Walt Dowling as the lead singer, Fred Moore as the tenor, Jim Curtiss as the baritone, and Jim Simpson as the bass. Hailing from Maine, these seasoned performers boasted a combined barbershop experience of over a century.
Recognizing an opportunity to uplift everyone’s spirits, Kari approached the quartet and asked if they would consider performing for the passengers. The quartet graciously agreed, and their impromptu performance was nothing short of remarkable.
Kari, in the age of YouTube, recorded the quartet’s performance and shared it with the world. The video captured the quartet serenading the flight with The Drifters’ classic hit, “Under The Boardwalk.” In a matter of moments, the stressed and grumpy expressions of the passengers gave way to smiles, thanks to the quartet’s delightful diversion.
The internet embraced the heartwarming video as well. Kari posted it online, along with the comment, “One of my favorite moments! Thank you to Port City Sound for creating a wonderful memory!” The video quickly garnered over 8.8 million views and received thousands of comments.
Among the heartwarming messages, a particularly touching one came from the daughter of lead singer Walt Dowling, Kelly Emerson. She expressed her gratitude for the video, acknowledging how proud she was of her father and how the quartet’s performance surely helped lighten the mood on the delayed flight. This story is a testament to the power of music and human connection to turn a challenging situation into a heartwarming, feel-good experience that many wish they had witnessed firsthand.