RIAA-certified Gold a cappella group Straight No Chaser has checked another historic moment off their growing list of accolades: They performed at the iconic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Since its inception in 1996, Straight No Chaser (SNC) has earned two gold-certified albums, garnered over a billion streams on Pandora, sold more than two million albums worldwide, and sold over 1.5 million concert tickets globally. They’ve worked with everybody from Paul McCartney and Elton John to Stevie Wonder.
The group has performed at major venues, including the Bergen Performing Arts Center, the Greek Theatre, the Pantages Theatre, Harrah’s Casino, and even the Ryman Auditorium. Still, until June 6, SNC had never made their Opry Debut.
The nine-man act of Walter Chase, Jerome Collins, Seggie Isho, Michael Luginbill, Steve Morgan, Jasper Smith, Luke Bob Robinson, Tyler Trepp, and Freedom Young has served as a festive blend of harmonious voices for more than two and a half decades, having recently celebrated their 25th anniversary.
Straight No Chaser was initially formed at Indiana University in the mid-’90s. The group reunited and gained new momentum in 2006 when Randy Stine uploaded their 1998 performance of “The 12 Days of Christmas” to YouTube, sharing some college nostalgia with friends. What happened next was a level of success that few people could have predicted, least of all the nine members of Straight No Chaser.
Baritone Steve Morgan, who was part of the student group in 1996, spoke to me. He stated, “Except for Jasper Smith, who grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry on WSM, most of us were not expecting to be as taken as we were. We have performed all over the world. You think, ‘OK, it’s another show.’ But when you get there, you know, ‘Oh no, no, this is not just another show.'”
He continued, “Seeing that circle that’s 100 years old and all the history backstage and listening to the artists warming up. It’s a special place. It was incredible.”
SNC began their set with a lively cover of Rascal Flatt’s “Life is a Highway,” followed by a spirited Johnny Cash Medley, which was so much fun. They concluded their three-song stint covering Chris Stapleton’s soulful “Tennessee Whiskey” with some of the most remarkable harmony you will ever hear. You instantly know why they are a favorite among people of all backgrounds.
SNC are so unique in their vocalizing that when they sing, you often forget there is no band accompanying them. One of the reasons they are so popular is that they cover songs from every genre in multiple decades.
SNC has one of the most extensive touring schedules of any group I have featured. When I say they are playing in a town near you, it is literal.
The group’s summer tour, “The 90s: Part 2,” kicked off just a few days after their appearance on The Grand Ole Opry, quickly followed by their annual holiday tour in October, this year titled “Holiday Road Tour” and celebrating their newest holiday album, Holiday Road, out this fall. They’ll return to Nashville as part of the “Holiday Road Tour” on October 28, taking the stage at The Ryman Auditorium (the original home of The Grand Ole Opry) to kick off the holiday season. Tickets for the show at The Ryman and everywhere else are available now at SNCMusic.com.
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