The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has 10 Grammy wins, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. They won Grammy Awards in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, and 2003 and have collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Don Henley, Ray Charles, Queen Latifah, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller and Gordon Goodwin.
In 1980, Claude McKnight formed an a cappella quartet, The Gentlemen's Estate Quartet, at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, a Seventh-Day Adventist College, 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 Peterson Hall), getting ready for a performance, when Mark Kibble walked by and heard them singing. He joined the harmonizing, adding a fifth part, and ended up singing with them onstage that very night.[1] 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.
The group was signed to Warner Brothers in 1987, and quickly changed its name to "Take 6" after a name search revealed that "Alliance" was already being used. 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. Take 6's swinging, harmony-rich gospel sound attracted a flurry of attention, and the group went on to record or appear with a number of luminaries, including Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder.
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 streak of success, and Take 6 amassed a total of seven Grammys and eight Dove awards, as well as topping the Downbeat Magazine's Reader's and Critic's poll for seven years' consecutively.
Take 6's 1998 release, So Cool, brought the group back to its a cappella origins.
In 2006 the group launched Take 6 Records and the 2006 release Feels Good was released on that label.
The group currently lists Nashville, Tennessee as its home.[2] All members grew up Seventh-Day Adventist.[
The Star Spangled Banner
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight′s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch′d, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets′ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O′er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
The lyrics to Take 6's version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" are a slightly altered version of the original national anthem of the United States written by Francis Scott Key. The song reflects upon the events of the War of 1812, specifically the Battle of Fort McHenry, where Key witnessed the British bombardment of the fort in Baltimore Harbor. "Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light" sets the scene of a dimly lit morning, as Key looks out towards the fort and sees the American flag still waving.
The following lines, "What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?" refer to the American flag that was still visible despite the darkness of the night. The lines "Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, / O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?" symbolize the resilience and determination of the American people defending their nation during the battle. The reference to rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air alludes to the fierce fighting and constant bombardment.
As the song progresses, it questions whether the flag, represented by the star-spangled banner, continues to wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave. This emphasizes the idea that the ideals of freedom and bravery should be preserved by every American generation.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Star-Spangled Banner" evoke a sense of national pride, unity, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
Can you perceive, illuminated by the first light of dawn,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
What object did we salute with great pride when the sun was setting?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
Whose wide stripes and shining stars, throughout the dangerous battle,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
Over the defensive walls we observed, were flowing with great bravery?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
And the bright red illumination from rockets, the explosive bombs bursting in the sky,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Provided evidence throughout the night that our flag was still present.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
Oh, say, does that flag with stars on it still flap
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Over the country of the independent and the residence of the courageous?
Writer(s): Francis Scott Key
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cole chea
my dad is alvin. im so proud of him and everything hes done to have a great life for me and my siblings
Dandre Singleton
Man your dad is the best in the business also one of my vocal idols
Dwayne Dugger II
Your dad is the man! Listened to Take 6 since I was a kid. Saw them live once, incredible voices.
Mitchell Wooldridge
Your dad is Alvin Chea!? Dude, your dad is probably the greatest bass singer in all of history --- not exaggerating!
Noleen Peake
My names Que,using wife's phone,u said your dad part of Take 6 group,but wow what an honor, Take 6 saved my life,Glory 2 God,dads a hero.
TeleVasion Life-in-space JM Frambourt
<3
Glen Trew
I'm really glad so many appreciate this piece. I was the recording engineer. Equipment: Nagra IV-STC (analog, 2-track, 1/4" tape), two Schoeps MK-41 mics in an X-Y pair at a distance to have camera perspective with natural stereo image, no limiting, no compression, no sound edits, pure accoustic. Recorded while being shot in a small TV studio in Nashville. This particular YouTube post seems to have lost all of it's stereo image, so I recommend listening to it from the album it was recorded for. I believe it was late 1980's, but might have been early 1990's. We rehearsed a couple of times for mic placement and levels, then recorded it in one take, in sync, while shooting the locked-off wide shot. We then played back that recording to shoot the panning closeups. I had worked with Take 6 many times before this, but while recording this one, I remember wishing everyone could experience what I was hearing. After the first take there was a rare solemn moment while the crew just stood there in silence.
Matheus Inácio
Glen Trew Excellent job, my friend. Take 6 has been my favorite group of all times, and this one in particular is my favorite video track.
Randy Hale
"early 80's or early 90s": that entire last century just starts running together. I know the feeling.
Richard (gracelandwp.com)
+Glen Trew Thank you for sharing your tech notes and your memories of this recording. I think only other sound geeks / audiophiles could appreciate would you're sharing in the notes... and I DO appreciate it. There's nothing like that feeling when you know everything was performed and captured just right. Thanks for sharing.