Dan Michaels
| The Choir | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Orange County, California |
| Genres | Christian alternative rock |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | Broken, Shadow, Myrrh LA/A&M, Myrrh, Epic, Glasshouse, R.E.X., Tattoo, Galaxy21 |
| Website | www |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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The Choir is an atmospheric Christian alternative rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums—who also writes most of the band's lyrics—along with Tim Chandler on bass guitar, Dan Michaels on saxophone and lyricon and Marc Byrd on guitar (since 2005). As of 2016, the band has released 14 studio albums, three EPs, five live albums, one single-disc compilation, and one retrospective box set. The band maintains an extensive tour schedule both collectively and on individual projects.
The Choir was originally formed as Youth Choir in the early 1980s by Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong. The two songwriters had been introduced by a mutual friend, the bass guitarist Tim Chandler, who was touring with Daniel Amos along with Daugherty, who was the band's roadie and sound man at the time. Hindalong and Daugherty quickly became friends and a songwriting team. Youth Choir became part of the Calvary Chapel Christian punk and alternative music scene, which also included the bands Undercover, Crumbächer, Altar Boys and 4-4-1.
The Choir's music has been described by the Los Angeles Times as "magical songs that combine strains of murky psychedelia with pure pop." Billboard praised the band for its "dark poetic leanings, effects-laden guitars and strong melodic hooks". In 1984, Youth Choir became the first band to play at the Cornerstone Festival. By 1986, the band dropped the "Youth" from its name and began calling itself simply The Choir. Hindalong began writing most of the lyrics for the band at this point, songs that are known for their vulnerability and honesty, particularly about the challenges inherent in romantic relationships and the simple joys of family life.
Although the band has long had a cult following among listeners of Christian alternative music, that did not translate into financial success within the Contemporary Christian music (CCM) industry, nor did it lead to a successful mainstream crossover experienced by later groups like Jars of Clay, Switchfoot and Sixpence None the Richer, who have pointed to The Choir as a significant musical influence. As a result, the band nearly called it quits in 1996 after their final U.S. tour, a few years after Daugherty, Hindalong and Michaels moved from their homes in Southern California to Nashville, Tennessee, since much of the CCM industry is now based there. The difficulty of this move also made its way into the lyrics of the band's songs, primarily Speckled Bird. Nevertheless, the band continued recording, and were awarded a GMA Dove Award for Best Modern/Alternative Rock Album for Free Flying Soul in 1997. Five years later, they received a nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards for their album, Flap Your Wings, released in 2000.
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