About Checkpointe! Quartet

Checkpointe! Quartet has been performing around the Billings, MT area for many years. Many things about singing harmony resonate with us personally, and each of us has our own story about how we got involved.

Kent Schacht -Tenor

An Iowa native, Kent participated in his high school choir and two small choral groups including a barbershop quartet. He also played several roles in high school plays. After taking a singing hiatus to study Civil Engineering at Iowa State University, Kent moved to Billings, MT in 1998. This is where he was once again exposed to barbershop. A local quartet was hired to perform at his Boss' 50th wedding anniversary and, needless to say, he was hooked all over again!

Almost immediately, Kent became a member of the Big Sky Chorus. He was elected Treasurer and served in that position for three years. He continues to be an integral member and participates in several chorus projects as well as a Tenor Section Leader.

Kent sang tenor in his first quartet, Outa'Sync, from 1998 - 2005. In 2005 he jumped at the opportunity to sing tenor with Checkpointe! He is very proud to be part of this group and has found that he has gained three brothers. Singing with these three mugs has provided Kent with memories he will cherish forever.

Kent resides in Billings, MT with his beautiful wife, Tia, and his two young boys, Zachary and Anthony. He works at Timberweld Manufacturing as a Structural Engineer. It's Kent's hope that one day his two sons will join the Big Sky Chorus and eventually find themselves in an international champion quartet. Kent@checkpointquartet.com

Brett Foster - Lead

Brett grew up in the Mining City, Butte, MT. He has always loved music and as a youngster, played guitar, tap danced and even messed around with the banjo. Brett remembers his Grandma and Grandpa Foster always encouraging him to sing and perform. He attended Butte Central Catholic Schools and was in the top ensemble, Central Singers. In addition to Central Singers, he played Pawnee Bill in the school's production of "Annie Get Your Gun". He participated in the school's annual talent show, Maroon Magic, where he tap danced in a duet to "In the Mood". He swears he snapped a hammy and has not tapped since.

After college and a few job changes, Brett moved to Billings, MT in 1993. In 1998, he joined the Big Sky Chorus. He says he joined the Big Sky Chorus because he happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. You can ask him about it sometime. He works as a Client Services Represenative for a collection agency in Montana.

Brett sang in his first quartet, Outa'Sync, from 1998 -2005. In 2005, Checkpointe! was formed and he is proud to be a founding member. Brett has served the Big Sky Chorus as a Choreographer, Board Member at Large, Bulletin Editor, Chorus Manager, Contest Coordinator, Section Leader, Music Team member, two terms as President, and is currently Immediate Past President. Brett has been a four-time recipient of the Barbershopper of the Year Award, the highest honor bestowed upon members by the Big Sky Chorus. He also serves the Rocky Mountain District as a Chapter Counselor and it's CARA Coordinator.

The experiences and friendships that have been forged by quarteting are numerous and quite special. Brett feels extremely blessed to have stumbled into this in 1998 and he wouldn't trade the life changing and wonderful, moving experiences that have been shared for anything. He has enjoyed every bit of it and looks forward to continued success with Checkpointe!

Brett@checkpointquartet.com 

Dave Klimper - Baritone

Dave has been singing since he was baby. He has always been loud and has always loved music. Whether in church, school or out in the community, Dave has been singing and performing for as long as he can remember.

Dave was in the top groups in his high school choral program and was a founding member of the Northwesters Barbershop Quartet, He was on the Big Sky Chorus shows in 1976 and 1977. As a high school quartet, the Northwesters performed all over southern Montana.

Dave left singing to pursue his studies, career and family and did'nt return until his daughter's substitute teacher told her to tell her father that he better get his butt to the Big Sky Chorus rehearsal. The substitute teacher, Paul Halpin, was Dave's high school choral teacher. Dave went to rehearsal and was bit by the bug again.

Dave has been in several quartets and has performed all over Montana. He has been to Harmony College twice and has served on the Big Sky Chorus Board of Directors in many capacities. His greatest joy in quarteting has been the bonds he has formed with his quartet brothers. Checkpointe! brothers Brett, Kent and Kelly and their friendship have meant more to Dave and his family than they can possibly know.

As all quarteters know, it's the Baritone that makes the quartet, as long as you can't hear him. Never less than your best is all Dave stives to achieve. Sit back, relax and ring some chords! Dave@checkpointquartet.com

Kelly Michaelis - Bass

When not following his springer around the prime pheasant habitat of Montana, you're most likely to find Kelly on the golf course, any golf course, and the grass does'nt even have to be green. When it gets dark out, barbershopping becomes his other favorite hobby. Taking up his new hobby was supposed to fill the gap in the winter when hunting season was over and snow still covered the grass, but it quickly became a life changing, time consuming, wonderful obsession.

Checkpointe! is Kelly's third quartet experience. He has been to Harmony College twice, has been Show Chairman for seven years, has served two terms as President of the Big Sky Chorus, is currently on the BOD as Board Member at Large, is on the Music Team, Bass Section Leader, has been to COTS twice, and has been to Big Sky Youth Harmony Rendezvous three summers as part of the teaching quartet. His quartets have appeared as headliners on several chapter shows throughout Montana and Wyoming, and he has been to the Black Hills of South Dakota four times for the Harmony Happenings in the Hills events. WHEW!, and he's been a member for only thirteen years. Kelly maintains that if it weren't for barbershopping, he could be a five handicapper on the golf course!

Kelly is married to Linda, his wonderful, understanding wife of almost forty years. They have one son, Patrick, who has a voice ten-times better than Kelly's and hopes he'll soon catch the barbershop bug. Kelly enjoys the fact that the Checkpointe! guys, through all of their many travels together, have become great friends, and of course all aspire to become a Rocky Mountain District Quartet Champion! His greatest reget in barbershopping...that he didn't get started 25 years earlier. Kelly@checkpointquartet.com