Biography

Straight No Chaser (SNC) is a professional a cappella group, which originated in 1996 at Indiana University. 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 over 17 million times.

The group formed in 1996 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Together the 10 students — Dan Ponce, Randy Stine, Charlie Mechling, Steve Morgan, Jerome Collins, Dave Roberts, Walter Chase, Mike Itkoff, Patrick Hachey, and Kevin Carroll, 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 10 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 of 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.