Members: Morris Rector, John McCord (2), Mike McCord, Al Koberstein, Dale Deiser, Franklin Spears, C.O. Crawford, Ben Binford, Charlie Ward (11)

The Mark IV are the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 1969 International Champion.

First organized in 1962 in San Antonio, Texas. The quartet consisted of Dale Deiser on tenor, Ben Binford on lead, John McCord on baritone, and Mike McCord on bass. The qualified for their first international contest in the spring of 1963 and placed 40th in Toronto. Mike left the quartet following the international contest and went on to win the SWD contest the following year with the Checkmarks. C.O. Crawford joined as the new bass in late 1963.

Eventually John left the quartet and Dale decided to switch to baritone. Charlie Ward of the Checkmarks joined them as tenor. Ben would leave the quartet in 1965 and Allan Koberstein, lead of 1964 International finalists, the Journeymen, had recently been stationed at Lackland Air Force Base and he joined the Mark IV as the new lead.

In 1966, Franklin Spears of the 1960 SWD champs, the Playboys, joined them as tenor and the quartet went on to win the South Western District Championship that fall. They then set their hopes towards the 1967 international in Los Angeles. They placed a thrilling third place. They released their first album entitled, “Swing Low,” that same year. Their first album included many of their show favorites such as “Swing Low”, “Old Spinning Wheel”, the Gaynotes’ “Caberet”, and their most popular, “I’d Give A Million Tomorrows”.

C.O. worked for the State Department as an English Teacher to foreign pilots and was often sent away on assignments at a short notice. Just a week prior to the 1968 prelims, C.O. returned from an 18-week assignment in Jordan. The Mark IV placed second at the international contest in Cincinnati, Ohio. Immediately following the 1968 international contest, C.O. got the call that he would be spending the next two years in Morocco.

Mo Rector of the Gaynotes had moved to San Antonio in late 1966 and had filled in for C.O. in the Mark IV many times, now he replaced him as bass. The Mark IV qualified for the 1969 international with Mo and went in ready to win.

In the quarter finals, the Mark IV opened with “Old Piano Roll Blues” and followed with “I’d Give A Million Tomorrows.” When they got to the finals they sang “Her Majesty My Mother” and “This Is My Lucky Day.” They won it all beating future champions, the Oriole Four and Golden Staters.

During their championship year, they traveled everywhere singing for several chapters and shows. Mo moved back to Tulsa, OK in December of 1969 and Pete Tomseth filled in as bass until C.O. returned in the summer of 1970. They sang their swan set with both Mo and C.O. on bass. The Mark IV released their second album entitled “Anything Goes,” that same year. Their second album featured many more show favorites such as “Daddy Sang Bass.”

They sang their final performance on April 20, 1974. They had a reunion performance in 1986 and the AIC released a compilation CD of them in 1999.

Franklin Spears went on to become a judge for the Texas Supreme Court in 1978 and served until retirement in 1990. He died of a heart attack on April 10, 1996 at the age of 64. Mo Rector went on to sing in many more quartets throughout his life including the 1975 SWD champions, the Quasars. He would also later return to the Gaynotes for a few reunion performances and started a gospel quartet called, “the Good News Quartet.” Mo died following an automobile accident on December 6, 2003 at the age of 69. Al Koberstein moved back to Oregon and went to work for the Salem Public School District. He passed away on October 31, 2011 at the age of 68. C.O. Crawford later moved to Oklahoma and joined the OK Chorale. He sang in several more quartets throughout his life. He passed away in October of 2012 at the age of 93. Dale Deiser went on to sing in several more quartets. He joined Mo in the “Good News” quartet and sang with them for many years. Dale passed away on May 4, 2018 at the age of 83.

The Mark IV were one of the greatest quartets in the history of both the South Western District and the entire Barbershop Harmony Society. They impacted many people in their 13 year career and are still remembered by many today.