Straight No Chaser (a cappella group)
Encyclopedia
Straight No Chaser is the name of two related but separate a cappella
men's singing groups. The Indiana University
group is composed of 10 to 12 undergraduate men whose lineup changes every year. The professional group, known simply as Straight No Chaser, is composed of former members, mostly original members, of the college group. In 2006, a 1998 video of "The 12 Days of Christmas," gained widespread popularity and subsequently led to a five-album record deal with Atlantic Records in 2008. The YouTube video has been viewed more than 13 million times.
(the founder), Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, Patrick Hachey, and Kevin Caroll, became Straight No Chaser. Their name was inspired by the title track of Thelonious Monk
's 1967 album, Straight No Chaser, and is a conscious evocation of the popular American slang phrase often employed in the requesting of a drink
.
SNC’s debut was at a 36-hour dance marathon. The original members performed at Chicago's Wrigley Field
, Comiskey Park
and Navy Pier, opened for Lou Rawls
and even toured the country, playing such venues as Carnegie Hall
. The original 10 remained together from 1996 until 1999 when new students were selected to replace the graduating members. As of 2010, approximately 60 students have been members of Straight No Chaser.
was posted to YouTube. The video was an adaptation of Richard C. Gregory's 1967 comic arrangement of the song for his Williston
Caterwaulers, but SNC added their own touches, including songs like “I Have a Little Dreidel
” and Toto
’s “Africa
”. It has received more than 13 million views. After viewing the video himself, Craig Kallman
, CEO
of Atlantic Records
, called Randy Stine, who posted the video, and asked if the group would consider reuniting to record a new album.
In July 2008, eight of the original 1996-1999 SNC members — Dan Ponce
, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, and Mike Itkoff — along with 2000-2003 SNC members Mike Luginbill and Ryan Ahlwardt — recorded a Christmas album, Holiday Spirits, in Bloomington, Indiana. Prior to its release, Holiday Spirits was Atlantic Records's third-best pre-selling album ever. After appearances on TNT's Christmas in Washington, Fox's Fox & Friends, and NBC's The Today Show on December 22, 2008, Holiday Spirits became the #1 selling album on both the iTunes and Amazon.com charts.
On August 18, 2009, SNC announced that Michael Itkoff and Steve Morgan had decided to step down from the group to spend more time with their families.[3] SNC replaced them with Seggie Isho, originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan, and Tyler Trepp, originally from Urbandale, Iowa. Both Isho and Trepp were members of the collegiate SNC group at Indiana University: Isho 2003-2005, Trepp 2003-2007.
SNC taped a live concert special in New York City during summer 2009 that was aired on that city's PBS stations during the December 2009 pledge drive as a Christmas special, and again in March 2010, excluding the Christmas songs but including six not-seen-before pop songs.
On August 31, 2009, Straight No Chaser released an EP of six songs, titled "Six Pack," continuing the band's tradition of album titles that engage the symbolism of bartending themes. On November 3, 2009, they released their second Christmas album, "Christmas Cheers" co-produced with Deke Sharon
, and they released their first non-Christmas album, "With a Twist" in April 2010. The album includes a song featuring Barry Manilow
.
After a 40-show stint at Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City, the group's founder Dan Ponce
retired from the group to return to his TV career in Chicago. He was replaced by Don Nottingham, who sang with the group at Indiana University from 1999 until 2000.
Their 2010 fall tour, is a 75-city tour of the United States, Canada, and the UK and features their recently released box-set titled "All I Want For Christmas" which features their two holiday albums and a DVD of their PBS Special, "Live In New York."
In 2011, Straight No Chaser took a break from their extensive touring to return to Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City for a 52-show Summer Residency with a show, "Back to the Shore: Songs Through the Decades and More".
In 1998, Indiana University SNC placed second in the finals of the (now defunct) National Championships of College A Cappella.
In 1998, Indiana University SNC placed first in the Midwest Region quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
. In 2000, SNC was recognized as having the Best Arrangement in the ICCA Midwest Region quarterfinals. In 2005, SNC placed first in the ICCA divisionals and was also selected for Best Choreography at the division level. They went on to place first in the Midwest Regional Finals, and competed in the ICCA finals at the Lincoln Center
in New York.
In 2009, Atlantic Records SNC won the CARA award for Best Holiday Album (Holiday Spirits) and was nominated for Best Holiday Song ("Carol Of The Bells" on Holiday Spirits).
Indiana University College Group
Atlantic Recording Artists
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
men's singing groups. The Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
group is composed of 10 to 12 undergraduate men whose lineup changes every year. The professional group, known simply as Straight No Chaser, is composed of former members, mostly original members, of the college group. In 2006, a 1998 video of "The 12 Days of Christmas," gained widespread popularity and subsequently led to a five-album record deal with Atlantic Records in 2008. The YouTube video has been viewed more than 13 million times.
History
The collegiate group was formed in 1996 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Together the 10 students -- Dan PonceDan Ponce
Dan Ponce is a Chicago television journalist for WGN-TV and founder of the renowned a cappella group Straight No Chaser.-Career and background:His TV career began in 2005 when Dan was hired at WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan, as a reporter and weekend anchor...
(the founder), Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, Patrick Hachey, and Kevin Caroll, became Straight No Chaser. Their name was inspired by the title track of Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
's 1967 album, Straight No Chaser, and is a conscious evocation of the popular American slang phrase often employed in the requesting of a drink
Straight up (bartending)
In bartending, the term straight up refers to an alcoholic drink that is shaken or stirred with ice and then strained and served without ice in a stemmed glass....
.
SNC’s debut was at a 36-hour dance marathon. The original members performed at Chicago's Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
and Navy Pier, opened for Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
and even toured the country, playing such venues as Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. The original 10 remained together from 1996 until 1999 when new students were selected to replace the graduating members. As of 2010, approximately 60 students have been members of Straight No Chaser.
Original group reunites
In April 2006, a 1998 recording of The 12 Days of ChristmasThe Twelve Days of Christmas (song)
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol that enumerates a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. Although first published in England in 1780, textual evidence may indicate the song is French in origin...
was posted to YouTube. The video was an adaptation of Richard C. Gregory's 1967 comic arrangement of the song for his Williston
Williston Northampton School
The Williston Northampton School, or "Williston," is a private co-educational preparatory school for boarding and day students in seventh grade through postgraduate year located in Easthampton, Massachusetts. The campus offers a range of extra-curricular activities in the arts and athletics...
Caterwaulers, but SNC added their own touches, including songs like “I Have a Little Dreidel
I Have a Little Dreidel
"I Have a Little Dreidel" is a Chanukah song in the English speaking world, and also has an Yiddish version. This children's tune is about making a dreidel and playing with it...
” and Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
’s “Africa
Africa (Toto song)
"Africa" is a song by rock band Toto, and one of the band's most recognizable songs. It was included on their 1982 album Toto IV, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1983 and number three on the UK Singles Chart the same month...
”. It has received more than 13 million views. After viewing the video himself, Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman is Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records.Craig Kallman signed the legendary lyricist Percee P and released his sought after 12" "Puttin' Heads To Bed" on his imprint Big Beat in the early 1990s. He joined the company in 1991, when Atlantic acquired Kallman's independent Big Beat...
, CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, called Randy Stine, who posted the video, and asked if the group would consider reuniting to record a new album.
In July 2008, eight of the original 1996-1999 SNC members — Dan Ponce
Dan Ponce
Dan Ponce is a Chicago television journalist for WGN-TV and founder of the renowned a cappella group Straight No Chaser.-Career and background:His TV career began in 2005 when Dan was hired at WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan, as a reporter and weekend anchor...
, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, and Mike Itkoff — along with 2000-2003 SNC members Mike Luginbill and Ryan Ahlwardt — recorded a Christmas album, Holiday Spirits, in Bloomington, Indiana. Prior to its release, Holiday Spirits was Atlantic Records's third-best pre-selling album ever. After appearances on TNT's Christmas in Washington, Fox's Fox & Friends, and NBC's The Today Show on December 22, 2008, Holiday Spirits became the #1 selling album on both the iTunes and Amazon.com charts.
On August 18, 2009, SNC announced that Michael Itkoff and Steve Morgan had decided to step down from the group to spend more time with their families.[3] SNC replaced them with Seggie Isho, originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan, and Tyler Trepp, originally from Urbandale, Iowa. Both Isho and Trepp were members of the collegiate SNC group at Indiana University: Isho 2003-2005, Trepp 2003-2007.
SNC taped a live concert special in New York City during summer 2009 that was aired on that city's PBS stations during the December 2009 pledge drive as a Christmas special, and again in March 2010, excluding the Christmas songs but including six not-seen-before pop songs.
On August 31, 2009, Straight No Chaser released an EP of six songs, titled "Six Pack," continuing the band's tradition of album titles that engage the symbolism of bartending themes. On November 3, 2009, they released their second Christmas album, "Christmas Cheers" co-produced with Deke Sharon
Deke Sharon
Deke Sharon is an American singer, arranger, composer, director, producer and teacher of a cappella music, and is one of the leaders of the contemporary a cappella community and a pioneer of the contemporary a cappella style, referred to as "the father of contemporary a cappella" by some...
, and they released their first non-Christmas album, "With a Twist" in April 2010. The album includes a song featuring Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
.
After a 40-show stint at Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City, the group's founder Dan Ponce
Dan Ponce
Dan Ponce is a Chicago television journalist for WGN-TV and founder of the renowned a cappella group Straight No Chaser.-Career and background:His TV career began in 2005 when Dan was hired at WILX-TV in Lansing, Michigan, as a reporter and weekend anchor...
retired from the group to return to his TV career in Chicago. He was replaced by Don Nottingham, who sang with the group at Indiana University from 1999 until 2000.
Their 2010 fall tour, is a 75-city tour of the United States, Canada, and the UK and features their recently released box-set titled "All I Want For Christmas" which features their two holiday albums and a DVD of their PBS Special, "Live In New York."
In 2011, Straight No Chaser took a break from their extensive touring to return to Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City for a 52-show Summer Residency with a show, "Back to the Shore: Songs Through the Decades and More".
Awards
In 1999, Indiana University SNC won the CARA awards for both Best Male Collegiate Album (Last Call) and Best Male Collegiate Song ("Ghost Train" on Last Call), and Michael Itkoff was nominated as Best Male Collegiate Soloist. In 2000, SNC was nominated for Best Male Collegiate Song ("Without Your Love" on Live at Alumni Hall).In 1998, Indiana University SNC placed second in the finals of the (now defunct) National Championships of College A Cappella.
In 1998, Indiana University SNC placed first in the Midwest Region quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
. In 2000, SNC was recognized as having the Best Arrangement in the ICCA Midwest Region quarterfinals. In 2005, SNC placed first in the ICCA divisionals and was also selected for Best Choreography at the division level. They went on to place first in the Midwest Regional Finals, and competed in the ICCA finals at the Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
in New York.
In 2009, Atlantic Records SNC won the CARA award for Best Holiday Album (Holiday Spirits) and was nominated for Best Holiday Song ("Carol Of The Bells" on Holiday Spirits).
Albums
| Title | Album details | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| Holiday Spirits Holiday Spirits Holiday Spirits is the debut studio album by American men's singing group, Straight No Chaser. It was released in the US on 28 October 2008. It has peaked to number 46 on the U.S. Billboard 200.-Track listing:-Chart performance:-Release history:... |
|
46 |
| Christmas Cheers |
|
38 |
| With a Twist With a Twist With a Twist is the third studio album by American men's singing group, Straight No Chaser. It was released in the US on 13 April 2010 and will be released on 28 February 2011 in the UK. It has peaked to number 29 on the U.S. Billboard 200.-Track listing:... |
|
29 |
Extended Plays
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Six Pack (EP) |
|
Other albums
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| Straight No Chaser | 1998 |
| Last Call | 1998 |
| Live at Alumni Hall | 1999 |
| Indiana | 2000 |
| Thank You | 2001 – 2002 |
| Another Round | 2005 – 2006 |
| Facebook Stalkin' Single | 2006 – 2007 |
| Live @ the Musical Arts Center DVD | 2006 |
| Black Label | 2008 |
External links
Disambiguation- http://www.sncproductions.com/
Indiana University College Group
- http://php.indiana.edu/~snc/SNC.htm
Atlantic Recording Artists
- http://www.sncmusic.com/
- http://www.atlanticrecords.com/straightnochaser/bio
- A Cappella Dreaming: 10 Voices, One Shot