Acappella (group)
| Acappella | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Paris, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian, Contemporary worship music, Southern Gospel |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | The Acappella Company, Word, Epic |
| Website | www.acappella.org |
| Past members | Keith Lancaster, Rodney Britt, George Pendergrass, Wayburn Dean, Gary Moyers, Duane Adams, Robert C. Guy, Steve Reischl, Tim Storms, Tim Martin, Kevin Schaffer, Gary Miller, Ken McAlpin, Barry Wilson, Steve Maxwell, Gary Evans Jr., Sean Samuel, Matt Nunnally, Nic Dunbar, Jordan House, Allen Brantley, Robin Brannon, Zachary Wilson, Zac George, Wes McKinzie, Anthony Lancaster, Malcolm Himes, Raymond Mobley |
Acappella is an all-male Contemporary Christian vocal group founded in 1982 by Keith Lancaster who has been the singer, songwriter, and producer throughout the group's history. The group only consists of vocalists who sing in a cappella style without instrumental accompaniment.
Acappella's fan base steadily grew through the 1980s as the group experienced many lineup changes and constantly experimented with fresh new sounds. The landmark album, Sweet Fellowship (1988), ushered in one of the most significant developments in the group's membership and style. Lancaster stepped out of the group as lead singer to focus on the role of producer and manager. The group continued to change after that, developing a unique sound that has been mimicked by countless groups around the world.
Signed to Word Records in 1990 (and later to Epic Records), Acappella's popularity soared with releases such as Rescue, We Have Seen His Glory, and Set Me Free. Media exposure included television appearances, while the song "More Precious Than Gold" became the centerpiece of a Sony Camcorder television commercial and was broadcast across the USA. Hymns For All The World helped to increase the group's exposure internationally. Acappella has toured extensively around the world, singing in Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Jamaica, Japan, South America and the Caribbean in addition to thousands of concerts in the United States.
In 1986, Lancaster launched a spinoff group called Acappella Vocal Band (AVB). AVB originally opened and sang backup for Acappella, then branched off to tour on its own under the Acappella Ministries umbrella from 1988 to 2000.
After exploring various musical styles over more than three decades, Acappella has returned to its roots, strengthened by the addition of a fifth vocalist. Acappella's worldwide impact was recognized with the group's 2007 induction into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.
Acappella has recently changed its format. Acappella is not limited to one combination of singers. In fact, every concert features a special lineup drawn from veteran concert music ministers who have sung with Acappella across the years. It is not uncommon for a concert to feature vocalists ranging in ages in their 20s, 30s, 40s & 50s, drawing from Acappella's vast catalog of original songs.
Those to participate in concerts since the new format have included George Pendergrass, Wayburn Dean, Keith Lancaster, Gary Moyers, Steve Maxwell, Zachary Wilson, Duane Adams, Barry Wilson, Anthony Lancaster, Wes McKinzie, Robin Brannon, Nic Dunbar, Aaron Herman, Robert C. Guy, Jeremy Swindle, Sean Samuel, Matt Nunnally, Rodney Britt, Brishan Hatcher, Ken McAlpin, and Kevin Schaffer.
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