About Straight No Chaser
Straight No Chaser is a professional American a cappella group that originated in 1996 at Indiana University. Originally a student group at Indiana University, they recorded a video in 1998 of a comical version of "The 12 Days of Christmas". The founding members all graduated, to be replaced by other students, in 1999. In 2007, the 1998 video went viral on YouTube, and subsequently led to a reunion of the founding members and a five-album record deal with Atlantic Records in 2008. The YouTube video has been viewed over 24 million times.
The group continues as a student-run a cappella group at Indiana University , though there is also a touring and recording group that performs together professionally. All members of the professional group have been members of the student group prior to joining. The professional group currently consists of founding members, Jerome Collins , Walter Chase , and Steve Morgan , joined by Mike Luginbill , Seggie Isho , Tyler Trepp , Jasper Smith , Freedom Young and Luke Bob Robinson . Prior professional members include Mike Itkoff , Dan Ponce , Ryan Ahlwardt , Don Nottingham , David Roberts , Charlie Mechling and Randy Stine .
The group formed in 1996 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Dan Ponce, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, and Patrick Hachey 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 requesting 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 ten remained together from 1996 until 1999, when new students were selected to replace the graduating members. Straight No Chaser continued to exist as a collegiate group.
When the original group reformed, both groups continued to exist under the name Straight No Chaser. In April 2012, the collegiate group changed its name to Another Round, taken from the name of an earlier CD that was released by the group.
In April 2006, a video recording of the group's performance of "The 12 Days of Christmas", filmed on December 7, 1998, at the Musical Arts Center in Bloomington, Indiana, was posted on YouTube by founding member Randy Stine. The song was an adaptation of a 1968 comic arrangement of the song by Richard C. Gregory, a faculty member of The Williston Northampton School, for his a cappella group, the Williston Caterwaulers. SNC added their own touches, including songs like "I Have a Little Dreidel" and Toto's "Africa". It has received over 26 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 original SNC members—Dan Ponce, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, and Mike Itkoff, along with 2000–03 SNC members Mike Luginbill and Ryan Ahlwardt—recorded a Christmas album, Holiday Spirits, in Bloomington, Indiana. After appearances on TNT's Christmas in Washington, Fox's Fox & Friends, and NBC's Today on December 22, 2008, Holiday Spirits became the #1 selling album on both the iTunes and Amazon.com charts.
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