Over the years, the Barbershop Harmony Society has extended honorary life memberships to some of its greatest friends and allies.

The Honorary Membership is presented to "those who have had a significant impact on Barbershop or a cappella singing -- as well as those individuals or groups who, through their celebrity, bring positive attention and awareness of the Barbershop Harmony Society."

This year's honoree is TV host and producer Mike Rowe, who received the award at the BHS International Convention in Las Vegas on July 8.

Mike Rowe Interviewed in Vegas

A barbershopper himself, Rowe "blames" his singing career on the influence of his high school choir director and barbershop world champion Fred King (Oriole Four), who passed away in 2008. It was under King's encouragement that Rowe became a barbershopper.

Forefront heard that "Sweet and Lovely" was the first song that King taught to Mike Rowe.

Mike Rowe Sings Bass With Forefront Quartet

Although the performance was rehearsed, Forefront had no idea when Rowe would sub in.

"Mike Rowe is a really wonderful person," Drew Wheaton of Forefront told FloVoice. "We got to meet him two days before the actual performance, and we all gained a mutual admiration. I got to spend time with him and his friend Chuck that night and the next night and we laughed a lot about ridiculous things.

"By the time Saturday evening came about and we were on stage with Mike we were just a bunch of friends sharing a joke. It was so much fun, and he has such a great voice. 10/10 would do it again."

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