The Four Townsmen's version of "What Do I Have To Do," is replete with tight doo-wop harmonies and soaring saxophone that transport the listener to a bygone era when pop groups wore identical suits, short hair and big smiles.

	Seldom Seem, David Templeton's whimsical perspective on life and times in and around Washington County, appears weekly in Washington Sunday.

Four-part harmony was a metaphor for the late 1950s, when life seemed simpler and more harmonious and musical problems were limited to love, heartbreak and graduation. Music was meant to entertain, not change the world.

And people didn't yet have computers that crashed.

So the musical question, "What Do I Have To Do?" had a sonorous solution: Beg for a second chance.

And after a 33-year hiatus, The Four Townsmen aren't begging for, but certainly are enjoying, a second chance in carving out their doo-wop niche in Canonsburg's musical kingdom, which features the legacies of Perry Como, Bobby Vinton and the Four Coins.

But when the Townsmen tell audiences they are from Canonsburg, the first question has nothing to do with Como, Vinton or change for a dollar. "They want to know, 'Is that where Sarris Candy is?'" bass singer Lou Gadani said.

In truth, The Four Townsmen never experienced the national fame of Como, Vinton or the Coins, but not because of talent.

Bad timing was key.

"These guys were right on the cusp [of stardom] with their tight harmonies, but they just missed the train," said Pete Povich, WJPA radio music director and morning man and the Townsmen's sound man. "At their age, for them to harmonize the way they do now, it is something. That's what amazes me."

The Four Townsmen feature tenor Pete Kouklakis and Gadani, original members from Canonsburg. New members include barritone Nevin VanRiper and lead singer Howard "Hug" McKinney, both of Washington.

The Four Townsmen will return to their Canonsburg roots Friday with "Christmas With The Four Townsmen" in Toy's My Way Cafe. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. with the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 per person. The Townsmen's show also will include a surprise guest.

The Townsmen will compete Friday with "A Perry Como Christmas," originally scheduled for Toy's cafe but relocated to the Canonsburg Elks Club in the wake of performers' complaints about remnant cigarette smoke in Toy's cafe.

"The town should be hopping with two shows," Kouklakis said. "If this works, who's to say we won't try to do more?"

The Four Townsmen also were scheduled to perform their Christmas show yesterday in Uptown Theatre in Washington.

The Four Townsmen launched their singing careers in 1959, when Kouklakis and Gadani left another group to join lead vocalist Chuck Marshall and baritone Bob Kraushaar, also of Canonsburg. They sang doo wop in talent shows, school dances and record hops.

The Web site, www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/oboe/217/fourtownsmen, provides a thumbnail biography of the group that built a repertoire of 50 arrangements to take on the road in hopes of expanding their popularity.

During their travels, they were introduced to recording agent Odell Bailey, who encouraged them to record an original song. Soon after, they released a 45 rpm record, "It Wasn't So Long Before," now known as "Graduation Is Here" with "Sometimes (When I'm All Alone)" on the flip side.

Those songs were played regularly on KDKA radio, and the group developed a regional fan base. "When we heard our song on KDKA, it was unbelievable," Gadani said.

In those years, they opened shows for Bobby Vee, Paul Anka, The Lettermen and Brian Hyland. They once sang at the South Strabane drive-in theater, where Washington Ford now is situated, by using a theater microphone that piped their music through speakers inside cars. "That was a rarity," Kouklakis said.

But, as Gadani noted, careers got in the way. He went to college then joined the Peace Corps. Kouklakis went to trade school and Kraushaar joined the Army. So the group called it quits about 1963.

Another reason for their demise was the British Invasion involving the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Who. The popularity of American doo wop did drop. As Don McLean sang in "American Pie: "The quartet practiced in the park, and we sang dirges in the dark, the day the music died."

In 1985, lead singer Chuck Marshall died. But 11 years later, the remaining members -- Kouklakis, Gadani and Kraushaar -- reunited.

"One reason we did get back together was the song started to be played again," Kouklakis said. Their song, "Graduation," was included on the Pittsburgh's Greatest Hits Volume Three compact disc and "Sometimes" was included on Volume Seven.

Meanwhile, Povich began playing the song on his WJPA oldies shows to instantaneous approval. "Phones rang off the hook," he said.

In recent years, WJPA 95.3 FM has asked listeners to vote for their favorite songs, and The Four Townsmen's "What Do I Have To Do," from their 2000 recording, "Just Cruisin," reached second place in last year's countdown.

This year's Top 95 will be played on WJPA noon to midnight New Year's Day. Expect the Four Townsmen to rate highly once again.

What prompted their reunion, however, was the Vocal Group Hall of Fame's 1996 decision to display Townsmen memorabilia permanently in the museum in Sharon, Mercer County.

Although the Townsmen are not inductees, Bob Crosby, hall of fame president and chief executive officer, said they were a well-recognized group. Inductees, however, must have at least three-part harmony, have 20 years in the business and a gold-record hit song. The last requirement is the stumbling block for the Four Townsmen.

In recent years, the group has been performing on the so-called Fruit Circuit --the Apple Festival in Hickory, the Pumpkin Festival in Houston and other festivals throughout Western Pennsylvania.

But Kouklakis said they sing for one reason: It's fun. Gadani offers another reason. "I sing for food. I'm the hungry one. That's my claim to fame."

In addition to a few contagious originals, they have a repertoire of 60 songs written by others, but with the Townsmen's trademark doo-wop adaptations and Tom Battaglia of Bethel Park's arrangements and saxophone and keyboard accompaniment. They are considering recording a new compact disc this winter.

But first, they must sing their Christmas repertoire before an adoring hometown crowd.

"We've practiced three months for this Christmas show," Kouklakis said. "I honestly hate to say it, but we're sounding good."

Sometimes, it's simply a matter of doing what you have to doo woppa do woppa do.