Pictured, the Kaskaskia Trail Chorus performs during its 50th annual show Saturday at Turner Hall in Columbia. (Alan Dooley photos)

The Kaskaskia Trail Chorus celebrated its 50th year during its annual show performed before another packed house at Turner Hall in Columbia on Saturday night.

The story of a half century of music was told in words, a display of program covers throughout the group’s history, and then, of course, fabulous music.

The audience heard that the chorus began informally as a group of men who sang together in a bar. Over the decades, the barbershoppers have evolved into one of the more culturally significant groups in Monroe County.

The evening began with a harbinger of good music to come, with Waterloo High School Boys Ensemble kicking off the celebration with an array of songs.

The KTC then took the stage – the history of which was told by master of ceremonies Rev. Patrick Poole – and began a non-stop ramble down memory lane.

The music included such barbershop classics as “Where Southern Roses Grow,” “Back in Dixie Again,” “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” ending with the KTC classic “Happy Trails.”

The first half of the evening program ended with a group from Kansas City known as Harmonium. The quartet is comprised of singers who have racked up a total of 12 district quartet championships and decades of international competition.

Following an intermission, the KTC and several quartets comprised of its singers came back for what is called the “afterglow,” featuring more barbershop style music to the delight of the crowd.