Take 6 is an influential American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in … Read Full Bio ↴Take 6 is an influential American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1985 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama.

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.[

You Don't Have to Be Afraid
Take 6 Lyrics

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The situation gettin' rough
And you feel it's more than you can take
The good things in your life
And problems seem to outwheigh

When will you let go and understand
That I've got the master plan
You've gotta trust Me and just believe

That I'm always holdin' your hand
You don't have to be afraid

You don't have to be afraid
Let My love show you the way
(I'm right by your side)
That's where I'll stay
So you don't have to be afraid

Somebody said that problems come
They only come to make you strong
You see, I'm never far away
And you know I'll never steer you wrong

When will you let go and understand
That I've got the master plan
You've gotta trust Me and just believe
That I'm always holdin' your hand
You don't have to be afraid

You don't have to be afraid
Let My love show you the way
(I'm right by your side)
That's where I'll stay
So you don't have to be afraid

My eye is on the sparrow
And I'm always watchin' you
I have so much more love to give
And I'm gonna see you through
Don't be afraid, yeah

You don't have to be afraid
Let My love show you the way
(I'm right by your side)

That's where I'll stay
So you don't have to be afraid

Overall Meaning

In Take 6's song "You Don't Have to Be Afraid," the lyrics convey a message of hope and reassurance. When facing difficult situations in life, the song reminds listeners that they do not have to be afraid because they have a higher power watching over them. The song encourages listeners to trust in this higher power and believe in the master plan that is unfolding. The lyrics offer a reminder that even though problems may arise, they are just opportunities to become stronger. The song emphasizes the importance of faith in a difficult world and encourages listeners to rely on the love and guidance of a higher power to lead them through tough times.

The phrase "You don't have to be afraid" is repeated throughout the song as a mantra to remind listeners to let go of fear and trust in the support and love that surrounds them. The lyrics also reference the biblical passage about how God cares for even the smallest creature, the sparrow, reassuring listeners that they are always being watched over and cared for. The song concludes with a message of love and support, assuring listeners that they do not have to face challenges alone and that there is always more love to be given.

Line by Line Meaning

The situation gettin' rough
When things get tough and you feel like you're struggling

And you feel it's more than you can take
And you feel like you can't handle it

The good things in your life
Even when good things happen

And problems seem to outweigh
And it seems like the bad things are bigger

When will you let go and understand
When will you trust and believe

That I've got the master plan
That I have a plan for you

You've gotta trust Me and just believe
You need to have faith in me

That I'm always holdin' your hand
That I'm always with you

You don't have to be afraid
You don't have to be scared

Let My love show you the way
Let my love guide you

(I'm right by your side)
(I'm always with you)