The Chaser Archives: 2008

YouTube sensation Straight No Chaser becomes hit

By Shanon Cook
CNN
December 22, 2008

CNN: Are you going to keep your day jobs?

Collins: There's no chance that I'm going to be keeping my day job. I obviously gave it up to try and do this so I know for a fact that I'm not going to be going back. I hope they didn't hear that. This is it. This is what I dreamed to do as a kid. This is what I want my day job to be.

CNN: What about your personalities ... have you all changed a little
since you were at school together?

Stine: I think all of us are pretty much the same, just maybe more opinionated.

MoJo Audio: A Cappella's Viral Charm

This one is a transcript of a podcast interview with Walt and DR. The podcast player is still available on the page to listen, but the iTunes download link seems to have expired.

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By Nikki Gloudeman
MoJo Audio
Friday December 19, 2008

MJ: So what has been, overall, the most surprising part of this whole experience?

SNC: Besides the record deal? I think that's first and second on the list.

Straight No Chaser bring a cappella to the mainstream

By Wade Coggeshall
Hendricks County Flyer
December 10, 2008

Mike Luginbill, who also attended Hamilton Southeastern and joined Straight No Chaser with Ahlwardt, got the (12 Days) clip e-mailed to him.

“I was like, ‘Hey, I know these guys. I was in this group,’” he said.

Straight No Chaser wishes you an a cappella Christmas (Dan)

By Jim DeRogatis
December 2, 2008
Chicago Sun-Times

"Sitting down at the piano and writing the notes, it was like I was in college again. A cappella is a very niche music style, and I'm not just writing for any musicians; I'm writing for my close friends. I know their voices better than anyone's, so when I'm actually writing the notes on the page, I'm thinking, 'This guy is gonna sing this part, this guy is gonna sing that part.'

Viral video launches Hoosier a cappella group toward pop stardom

Commenting from 3 years in the future: lol! "Bosslady" is RIGHT!

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By Neal Taflinger
Metromix
November 26, 2008

A cappella is hot on the streets, or so my editor would have me believe. She says it's popular on college campuses, and it's trickling up into pop music. I'm skeptical, but bosslady keeps pushing, even making the claim that male a cappella singers are "sexy."

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At the end of the article there's a mention of the upcoming WZPL Jingle Jam 2008 Indianapolis w/ headliner Plain White T's. Here's a 10 minute video with some backstage and performance moments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTxqMGDxO8

Includes a VERY brief clip of SNC's "Live Your Life and Flo With Whatever You Like" (not available for purchase at this time)

SNC Fun Fact 1: Six Pack: Vol 2 includes "Rhythm of Love," originally by the Plain White T's.

SNC Fun Fact 2: "Subway Jared" (Jared Fogle) briefly appears and mentions that he is there to see his buddy, Dave Roberts. They met at IU, but apparently Jared never got to see DR perform until the Jingle Jam.

Straight No Chaser: Sweet harmony of serendipity (Walter, Jerome)

There are 2 links to this one because there's no way to link to the full article. Great piece! I love the early ones.

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By Tim Blangger
The Morning Call
November 16, 2008

Collins' voice teacher from his youth, Gail Grossman, is not surprised at his success.

"He had a beautiful voice, a beautiful instrument," said Grossman, who still teaches voice in her Allentown studio. "He just had this innately. I truly believe this is something you're born with."

Collins' parents also are proud. "We always knew he would make it" as a singer, said Collins' father, Gerald, who lives with his wife, Gloria, in the Allentown home where Jerome grew up. "He could harmonize as a baby. He shocked me."

Chase's mother, Rose Shilanskas, was just as confident her son's talent and efforts eventually would lead to something big. "I'm very proud of him," she said. "He's been working with his music for a long time."

Straight No Chaser to release Holiday Spirits

By Jermy Leeuwis
Music Remedy
November 8, 2008

"I think their potential is unlimited," said Atlantic Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who personally signed Straight No Chaser. "The incredible combination of their amazing voices, great material, fantastic sense of humor, and huge charisma sets them completely apart from what anyone usually thinks of when they think 'a cappella group.' They're just a great group, period. I believe they have a terrific future ahead of them in the musical mainstream."

Read more: http://musicremedy.com/s/straight-no-chaser/album/holiday-spirits-5920.html

NBA Christmas songs (video credit bostcelts8)

Vietnam War Memorial performance (video credit ndrepMark)

Lambeau Leap at the Packers Game (video credit Randy Stine)

'Holiday Spirits' surprise for Straight No Chaser man

tee hee "Straight Up No Chaser"

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By Roger McBain
Evansville Courier & Press
October 26, 2008

"I'd be crazy to say I wasn't surprised by this," says Morgan.

"I always thought we were really a fantastic collegiate group," he added, but none of the group's members expected it to carry them past college, and certainly not years after they'd moved on to other careers.

The Harmony of Friendship

BestBuddies.org
October 24, 2008

The men were gracious, entertaining, and compassionate with the Best Buddies group, and the evidence was visible in the shining smiles of the intimate crowd. Best Buddies loves Straight No Chaser!

A Cappella Dreaming: 10 Voices, One Shot

By Mickey Rapkin
New York Times
October 3, 2008

“We thought it was a joke,” Mr. Itkoff said. “But Atlantic flew us to New York and put us up at the Dream hotel. There was a fruit plate in my hotel room. They were talking about a tour with Josh Groban or Michael Bublé. I thought, Are you kidding me?”