About Us

Left to right: Bob Rodriguez, Ray Sitter, Dave Updegrove, Frank Shipp

Members of Dominion 4 came together late in 2003 when Loudoun County’s newly formed barbershop Chorus of the Old Dominion needed quartets to deliver Singing Valentines. The first time Bob, Ray, Frank and Dave met to practice, they found they had the all-important blend of personalities, and a good vocal blend. With similar ideals of entertaining and a "leaning towards humor", they set to work to become a top-notch barbershop quartet.

In 2004, their first year, they won the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Mid-Atlantic District Novice Quartet trophy and have since evolved into one of Northern Virginia's prominent quartets. The quartet most enjoys entertaining, performing in a variety of musical styles from traditional barbershop to gospel, pop and Broadway selections. In the words of one of their fans, “Their passion for good music and fun is contagious.”

TENOR Bob Rodriguez (Jr.) grew up in the Chicago area where he inherited a love for singing and entertaining from his father Bob Mack who sang tenor with the 1949 Championship Mid-States 4 quartet. Bob’s enthusiasm for close harmony was nurtured listening to quartets like The Four Lads, The Crew Cuts, The Arbors, and The Four Freshman. As a youth, Bob sang in church choirs (and still does), and has played lead guitar and sung vocals in various rock bands (he still does). But Bob’s real passion is singing and performing challenging four-part harmony. Before moving to Virginia in 1988, Bob sang barbershop with the DuPage Valley Chorus and The Street Corner Four quartet in Illinois. Along with his love for singing, Bob is crazy about his wife Nancy and his four sons.

LEAD Ray Sitter has over 25 years of Barbershopping, singing both lead and baritone in various quartets. Having been fortunate to begin and participate with an International Medaling Barbershop Chorus in Texas, Ray has been educated musically by various International qualified singers. Quartet singing is his love, second only to having a loving wife for over 35 years. Ray leads the pre-school music group at his church, and he hopes to show how Barbershop can not only refresh the old secular standards, but harmoniously bring out the message of the Hymns.

BARITONE Frank Shipp started singing barbershop in 2002, but his "roots" go back to his father, grandfather, uncles, and great uncles, who all participated from the 1950's in Frank's native Kentucky. Frank sang in a mixed chorus in high school, and was a drummer/singer in a rock band (strictly part-time) in the early 1970's. Frank loves introducing the other members of Dominion 4 to the joys of ringing late night BBS “tags”. Typical of most baritones, Frank is the most talented, and least appreciated member of the quartet, not to mention the best looking..!?

BASS Dave Updegrove started singing with church choirs in his early teens, progressed on to high school and college vocal groups, and was introduced to the joys of barbershop-style singing in his early married life. Yes, he is still happily married! He took a 20-year break from barbershop, but not from singing, and has performed with several “a cappella” groups over the years. He also sings with “4tified”, a southern gospel quartet, but is thoroughly enjoying his return to his old routine of singing barbershop. An accountant by trade, Dave enjoys surf fishing and vegetable gardening in his spare time, and he treasures his walk with the Lord.