Towering pink heels are the symbol of The Bettys. Even more distingushible than those tall, brightly colored shoes, however, is the talent and passion of the themselves.
The Bettys have been a music group on campus for seven years. Originally, they were a part of the University of Wyoming choir Bel Canto, but a few girls wanted to try out a cappella. A cappella, a singing style that involves only vocals, leaves members with the ability to pick and choose the flow of their pieces. Some groups are more traditional and entice with impressive harmonizing, but other groups incorporate the imitation of instrument sounds.
Music is always a pull factor for students on campus looking for entertainment. The Bettys hope to provide more than just a fun environment for members to sing, however. Nine girls make up the group, each member unique. Their majors range from education to physiology, and the diversity of the group makes it a great atmosphere for the girls to grow, not only as singers, but as students and contributing members of the community.
“The purpose of The Bettys as an RSO is to provide a constructive and fun place for college girls to sing and make music together, while also providing the service of entertainment to university groups and the community in general,” said Christine Tezak, president of the RSO. “We also try to give back for everything we take in, and give our donations from every concert to a charity or cause we feel connected to as a group.”
Donations have been consistent at their concerts for four years. They’ve previously donated to the International Justice Mission, Restore Innocence and several other impactful charities.
This year, The Bettys will be partnering with the Laramie Soup Kitchen and Albany County SAFE Project. Tezak believes the group feels strongly for these charities, and recognizes their importance to the Laramie community.
“We donate to charities that we believe have a positive, lasting impact on their communities,” Tezak said, “and we give to them to help their work continue.”
There will be a chance to donate to these charities during their concert at the Gryphon Theatre on Saturday May 3rd.
Many people have become more familiar with a cappella because of the recent hit comedy Pitch Perfect and the acclaimed “Cup Song.” Although The Bettys won’t be performing the familiar song, audience members won’t need it to be entertained – the group has a unique talent and a great line up of their own.
“We’ll be performing Settle Down (Kimbra), Make You Feel My Love (Adele’s Version), A Cappella (Karmin) and a special new mashup everyone will have to come hear for themselves,” Tezak said.
The Betty’s are an influential group in the community thanks to the empowerment they embrace in each song. Shay Sheaffer, the vice president of the group, encourages people to come to The Betty’s free performances to relax and sing some great tunes.
“By the end of the night, we’ll have you singing right along with us,” Sheaffer said.
Passionate about their community, The Bettys put in a ton of work hard into their performances. They practice diligently and choose popular songs familiar to their audience.
“The concerts are always a lot of fun,” Tezak said.
The Betty’s next performance is May 2 at the Griffon Theater.
