Take 6
| Take 6 | |
|---|---|
 Take 6 performs for U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush during a Black Music Month celebration at the White House on June 30, 2001 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | Gospel, urban gospel, jazz, R&B, pop |
| Instruments | Voice |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Warner Brothers, Take 6 Records, Heads Up International |
| Associated acts | Stevie Wonder |
| Website | www.take6.com |
| Members | Alvin Chea Khristian Dentley Joey Kibble Mark Kibble Claude V. McKnight III David Thomas |
| Past members | Cedric Dent Mervyn Warren |
Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama.[1] The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has ten Grammy wins, ten Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. They won Grammy Awards in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, and 2002, and have collaborated with other artists such as Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Don Henley, Ray Charles, Queen Latifah, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller, Brian McKnight, Gordon Goodwin, k.d. lang, Luis Miguel, Ben Tankard, Al Jarreau, and CeCe Winans.
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Group biography [edit]
Oakwood College years [edit]
In 1980, Claude McKnight (older brother of R&B musician Brian McKnight) formed an a cappella quartet, The Gentlemen's Estates Quartet, at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), a Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville, Alabama, where he was a freshman. He auditioned fellow students for the hobby group. The Gentlemen were rehearsing in a campus bathroom (later said to be in Moran Hall), getting ready for a performance, when Mark Kibble heard them singing. He joined the harmonizing, adding a fifth part, and ended up singing with them onstage that very night.[2] Mark later invited Mervyn Warren to join the group. The group performed under the moniker Alliance.
The group performed in local churches and on campus over the next years, with members changing due to college's inevitable comings and goings. In 1985, the lower half of the group (bass, baritone, and second tenor) left upon graduating. At that time, Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, and David Thomas joined.
Music career [edit]
The group was signed to Warner Brothers in 1987, and quickly changed its name to Take 6 after a name search revealed Alliance was in use. Their eponymous debut album, released in 1988, won them two Grammy Awards and resulted in top ten appearances on both the Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts. Their swinging, harmony-rich sound attracted much attention; the group went on to record or appear with a number of luminaries, including Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few. They recorded for the soundtracks of Dick Tracy, Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, Boyz n the Hood, and the theme song to the TV series Martin. They earned performances on Saturday Night Live, the Oscars, and the Grammys, and have had the honor of performing for four U.S sitting Presidents, including the Democratic National Convention.
In 1991, after the release of their second album, So Much 2 Say, Mervyn Warren left the group to pursue a career as a producer. Joey Kibble, Mark's younger brother, was invited to round out the vocal lineup. The group added instrumentation to their purely a cappella sound beginning with the record, He Is Christmas. Join The Band and Brothers continued their Grammy streak. Take 6's 1998 release, So Cool, brought the group back to its a cappella origins.
In 2006 the group launched Take 6 Records; Feels Good the first album on their new label, was released the same year.
In 2007, they recorded a duet with Eros Ramazzotti in his cd E² ("Eros al quadrato") singing backing vocals to the song Un attimo di pace.
In 2008, Take 6 released The Standard, which was a first time voyage for the group into a more traditional Jazz repertoire. The Standard, a critically hailed success, garnered three more Grammy nominations providing them the distinct honor of being the most Grammy nominated vocal group in history.[citation needed]
The group's home-base is Nashville, Tennessee, with two members residing in Los Angeles.[3] All original members grew up Seventh-day Adventist.[1]
Members [edit]
Current [edit]
- Alvin Chea (since 1985) bass
- Khristian Dentley (2011) baritone
- Joey Kibble (1991) second tenor
- Mark Kibble (1980) first tenor
- Claude V. McKnight III (1980) first tenor
- David Thomas (1985) second tenor
Former [edit]
- Mervyn Warren (1980–1991) second tenor
- Cedric Dent (1985–2011) baritone
Discography [edit]
Album releases [edit]
| Year | Album | US | US R&B |
US Gospel |
US Jazz |
Label | Certification(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Take 6 | 71 | 41 | 3 | 8 | Warner Brothers |
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| 1990 | So Much 2 Say | 72 | 22 | 8 | 2 | – | |
| 1991 | He Is Christmas | 100 | 84 | – | – | – | |
| 1994 | Join the Band | 86 | 17 | 17 | – |
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| 1995 | Best of Take 6 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1996 | Brothers | – | 71 | – | – | – | |
| 1998 | So Cool | – | 92 | 8 | – | – | |
| 1999 | Greatest Hits | – | – | 22 | – | – | |
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 2000 | Tonight: Live | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Best of Take 6 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 2002 | Beautiful World | – | – | 14 | – | – | |
| 2006 | Feels Good | – | – | 10 | – | Take 6 Records | – |
| 2008 | The Standard | – | – | 6 | 2 | Heads Up International | – |
| 2010 | The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | – | 70 | – | 40 | – | |
| 2012 | One | – | 15 | – | Shanachie | – |
("–" denotes that a release did not chart)
Singles [edit]
-
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- 1988: "Spread Love" (Reprise)
- 1988: "David & Goliath" (Reprise)
- 1988: "Milky-White Way" (Reprise)
- 1988: "Gold Mine" (Take 6)
- 1988: "A Quiet Place"
- 1990: "I L-O-V-E U" (Reprise)
- 1990: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Reprise)
- 1990: "Ridin' the Rails" (k.d. lang & Take 6) (Sire)
- 1991: "Where Do the Children Play"
- 1991: "I Believe"
- 1994: "Biggest Part of Me"
- 1994: "All I Need (Is a Chance)"
- 1995: "You Can Never Ask Too Much"
- 1997: "You Don't Have to Be Afraid"
- 1999: "One and the Same (featuring CeCe Winans)" (Reprise)
- 2002: "Takin' It to the Streets"
- 2006: "Come On" (Take 6)
- 2006: "More Than Ever" (Take 6)
- 2006: "Comes Love" (with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) (XXL)
- 2006: "It's Alright With Me" (with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) (XXL)
- 2006: "It Was a Very Good Year" (with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) (The Phat Pack)
- 2011: "Never Enough" (with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) (That's How We Roll)
- 2012: "(It Only Takes) One"
Video releases [edit]
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | All Access | Warner Reprise | VHS |
| 2009 | Michael McDonald – A Tribute to Motown [Live] | E1 Entertainment | Guest |
Awards and nominations [edit]
Grammy Award [edit]
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Best Soul Gospel Performance – Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus | Take 6 | Won |
| 1988 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance – Duo or Group | "Spread Love" | Won |
| 1988 | Best Gospel Performance – Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus | "The Savior Is Waiting" | Won |
| 1988 | New Artist | — | Nominated |
| 1989 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance – Duo or Group | "Like the Whole World's Watching" | Nominated |
| 1990 | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | So Much 2 Say | Won |
| 1991 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance | He Is Christmas | Won |
| 1992 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance | "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" | Nominated |
| 1994 | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Join the Band | Won |
| 1994 | Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Duo or Group | "Biggest Part of Me" | Nominated |
| 1995 | Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Duo or Group | "All I Need (Is a Chance)" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) | "When You Wish Upon a Star" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Pop Vocal Group | "When You Wish upon a Star" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) | "When You Wish Upon a Star" | Nominated |
| 1997 | Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Brothers | Won |
| 1997 | R&B Group Vocalist | "You Don't Have to Be Afraid" | Nominated |
| 1999 | Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | So Cool | Nominated |
| 2002 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Beautiful World | Nominated |
| 2002 | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | "Love's In Need of Love Today" (with Stevie Wonder) | Won |
| 2003 | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) | Comes Love (with Gordon Goodwin, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, and Brian McKnight) | Nominated |
| 2004 | Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals | "Moon River" (with Stevie Wonder) | Nominated |
| 2009 | Best Gospel Performance | "Shall We Gather At The River" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) | "Grace" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Best Jazz Instrumental Solo | "Seven Steps To Heaven" | Nominated |
GMA Dove Award wins [edit]
| Year | Category | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Contemporary Gospel Album | Take 6 |
| 1988 | Group of the Year | — |
| 1988 | Contemporary Gospel Song | "If We Ever" |
| 1988 | New Artist of the Year | — |
| 1990 | Contemporary Gospel Song | "I L-O-V-E You" |
| 1990 | Contemporary Gospel Album | So Much 2 Say |
| 1990 | Contemporary Gospel Album | He Is Christmas |
| 1992 | Contemporary Gospel Album | Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration |
| 1994 | Contemporary Gospel Album | Join the Band |
| 1996 | Special Event Album | Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch (various artists) |
External links [edit]
Footnotes [edit]
- ^ a b Richard N. Ostling (20 March 1989). "http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957270-1,00.html". Time. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
- ^ Primarily A Cappella: Take 6
- ^ Take 6 on Myspace
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