A QUARTER OF a century ago, a bunch of upstart vocalists decided to splinter off from the Indiana University Singing Hoosiers and form their own a cappella group. At first, the goal was mostly to get the attention of coeds. Now, though, the birthed-at-IU Straight No Chaser is a musical sensation, with a string of hit albums, PBS specials, and a 25th anniversary tour that includes four shows at the Murat Theatre December 10–11, one at IU Auditorium December 16, and performances in South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Evansville in between.
Straight No Chaser usually consists of nine or 10 performers at any given time. (“Ten is our sweet separately interviewed five key early members for this oral history, which has been edited for both length and clarity. As you’ll read, not everything was pitch perfect on the road to harmonic success.
