Joe Liles.

You have never heard of him, nor is there any reason you should have.

So. Who is he? A wonderfully talented person who has arranged scores of songs, and written and arranged quite a few songs also.

We who sing barbershop harmony are very familiar with him, and have sung dozens of songs for which he used his arrangement skills. He is very, very good at this.

Let me share just one such song he both wrote, music and lyrics, and arranged. It has a simple, yet haunting melody, replete with chord structures in the true barbershop harmony style.

Written in 1995, Joe titled it “Teach the Children to Sing.”

Here are the lyrics:

“What is a heart without harmony? What is a soul without song?

“A bird with no wings, a harp with no strings, a world without right or wrong!

“Teach the children to sing! Our gift is a lifetime of song.

“Joy, transcending, sets every ear bending to hear voices blending so strong.

“Teach the people to sing, that all their voices belong.

“Radiant faces, a rainbow of races, joined in harmonious song!”

How I really wish you could actually hear this song. I truly believe it would touch your heart.

Wait a minute! You can. How so? Well, the Carolina Chord Connection is going to sing this song —  and numerous others, of course — during its annual show May 18 in Greenville.

Also performing will be the “Sassy Southern Sound,” the Sweet Adelines, Inc. affiliated women’s chorus, plus a really top-flight guest quartet.

We would love to have any of you join with the 300 or so who attend our annual shows.

Chorus members who live here are Paul Bright, Carroll Hearring, Bartow Houston and Todd Williamson.

Any of these men can provide you with information regarding venue, time and ticket acquisition.

You will leave the show with a smile on your face, and a song in your heart.