Members of the SMU Belltones A Capella group perform the National Anthem at the George W. Bush Presidential Library groundbreaking, Nov. 12, 2010. (MICHAEL DANSER/ The Daily Campus )

Lady Gaga. The Beatles. Billy Joel. These are just a few of the many artists performed by SMU’s a cappella groups Southern Gentlemen and the SMU Belle Tones.

“They are ‘a cappella’ groups in the traditional sense,” said Dr. Pamela Elrod, the official faculty advisor for both groups. “Ivy League a cappella groups have existed for decades – it’s a long-standing tradition that is perfectly suited to the talent here at SMU.”

The musical groups, which perform only with vocals and without instrumental sound, sing a large variety of music ranging from classical to pop.

“We prefer pop music because it’s better suited for our skills,” senior and Southern Gentlemen founder and director Trey Pratt said.

The all-male group frequently performs a cappella versions of popular songs, including songs like “Yesterday” by The Beatles, “The Longest Time” by Billy Joel and “In the Still of the Night” by the Five Satins.

“With shows like ‘Glee’ and ‘American Idol’ these days, people like the idea of having pop music at events,” Pratt said. “The style of pop music that we perform is interesting and different from what you hear on CDs.”

The SMU Belle Tones, an all-female group, also performs pop music, including the music of artists like Ingrid Michaelson, Lady Gaga, LMNT and The Beatles.

“We usually arrange pop songs that everybody will know,” sophomore Abi Clark, SMU Belle Tones founder and director, said.

According to Clark, the Belle Tones is split about half-and-half between music majors and non-music majors.

“A lot of our girls haven’t had any vocal training,” Clark said.

Members include engineering students, biology students and business students.

Southern Gentlemen may even consist of more non-music majors than music majors, according to Pratt.

“That’s actually my favorite thing about the group,” Pratt said. “We have a really large variety of majors.”

Junior environmental engineering major Daniel Shnider joined Southern Gentlemen because he enjoys singing and entertaining people as an extracurricular outlet.

“Every member has something musical to offer, even though they aren’t necessarily studying music for college credit,” Shnider said.

Junior Steven Robinson, a vocal performance and economics double major, was drawn to Southern Gentlemen, he said, to sing repertoire “that we don’t usually get the opportunity to sing in choir or our normal voice studies.”

Because the groups consist of more than just music majors, members can escape the monotony of structured classes and choirs.

“Music majors get kind of tired of music after a while,” Pratt said. “It’s nice to work with people that like it.”

SMU sophomore and Belle Tones member Laura Smolik shared a similar opinion.

“I love singing, but I’m usually learning and performing opera arias and foreign language art songs,” Smolik said. “Belle Tones offers a fresh and fun way to perform music that people our age are more familiar with and can easily relate to.”

Southern Gentlemen and the Belle Tones perform both on and off campus at private and public events, such as parties, dinners, and concerts.

One of the most memorable performances for the two groups was singing the U.S. National Anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony for the George W. Bush Presidential Library in November 2010.

“It was fun to see everybody so excited no matter what their political beliefs were or their opinion about President Bush,” Clark said. “Everyone was so excited to be a part of that history.”

Smolik sang a solo during the national anthem at the ground-breaking ceremony.

“I was so extremely nervous, but I knew that everyone in the group supported me and wanted me to succeed,” Smolik said. “It was such an amazing experience. One that will definitely not be soon forgotten.”

The groundbreaking ceremony was “without a doubt” Southern Gentlemen member junior Matthew Evans’ favorite performance thus far.

“Being invited to sing the national anthem at such a tremendous, nationally-televised event, followed by shaking the former president’s hand was entirely over-the-top,” Evans said.

Dr. Elrod conducted the groups at the ceremony.

“It was so moving. I’ll never forget that moment,” Dr. Elrod said. “I was proud of the singers, and I was proud to be a part of history.”

Upcoming performances by the Belle Tones include “Lunch Belles” every Friday at noon in Hughes-Trigg Student Center and “Belles are Ringin’,” a winter concert this Friday at noon in Meadows. The group also hopes to have a ‘90s throwback concert this spring.

Southern Gentlemen hopes to perform for sororities during Monday night chapter meetings this semester, along with an annual semester concert.

The Belle Tones will hold auditions sometime next fall, and auditions may also take place sporadically throughout the semester.

Southern Gentlemen holds aud-itions at the beginning of every semester and may have auditions at the end of this semester for the fall 2011 semester.

The Belle Tones will have their winter concert in the Meadows Atrium on Friday Feb. 25 at 12 p.m.