Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award and nominations for the NAACP Image Award.
The band has worked with Ray Charles, Joe Sample, Nnenna Freelon, Gordon Goodwin, Don Henley, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones, k.d. lang, Queen Latifah, The Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis, Brian McKnight, Luis Miguel, Marcus Miller, Joe Sample, Ben Tankard, Randy Travis, CeCe Winans, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder and Jacob Collier. All original members grew up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Biography Oakwood College years 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 students for the group. While rehearsing in a campus bathroom to prepare for a performance, Mark Kibble heard them singing. He joined the harmonizing, adding a fifth part with them onstage that night. Kibble invited Mervyn Warren to join the group, which performed under the name Alliance. Alliance performed in local churches and on campus with a changing roster of members. In 1985, the lower half of the group (bass, baritone, and second tenor) left after graduating. Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, and David Thomas joined.
Career The band signed a contract with Warner Alliance in 1987 and changed its name to Take 6 after a search revealed the name "Alliance" was in use. Their self-titled debut album (1988) won Grammy Awards in the gospel and jazz categories and three Dove Awards. They contributed to the film Do the Right Thing and sang on the album Back on the Block by Quincy Jones. They also appeared on Sesame Street and Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella. The band's second album, So Much 2 Say (1990) appeared on the gospel, jazz, and R&B charts of Billboard magazine. The band then signed with Reprise. In 1991, after the release of So Much 2 Say, Mervyn Warren left the group to pursue a career as a record producer and was replaced by Joey Kibble, Mark Kibble's younger brother. The group added instrumentation to their a cappella sound on the album He Is Christmas.
In 2006, the group started the label Take 6 Records; Feels Good, the first album on their new label, was released the same year. In 2007, they recorded with Eros Ramazzotti for his album E². A year later Take 6 released The Standard, which ventured into more traditional jazz territory.
Believe (Sono, 2016), produced by Claude Villani and Ross Vannelli, charted in six categories on Billboard in its first two weeks of release. Iconic (Sono, 2018), produced and arranged by the band, was its first album to chart at No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. The first single was a cover version of "Change the World" by Eric Clapton and debuted on the Contemporary Jazz Song chart in the top 30. The second single, "Sailing", is a cover of the Christopher Cross classic.
Members
Current members Claude V. McKnight III – first tenor or first voice (1980–present) Mark Kibble – second tenor or second voice (1980–present) David Thomas – third or fourth tenor (voice) (1985–present) Joey Kibble – third or fourth tenor (voice) (1991–present) Khristian Dentley – baritone or fifth voice (2004–present) Alvin Chea – vocal bass or sixth voice (1985–present)
Former members Mervyn Warren – third tenor or third voice/first tenor or first voice (song/section dependent) (1980–1991) Cedric Dent – baritone or fifth voice (1985–2004)
Discography Albums YearAlbumUSUSR&BUSGospelUSJazz Label Certification(s)1988Take 6714138Warner AllianceUS: Platinum1990So Much 2 Say722282Warner Alliance1991He Is Christmas10084 — —Reprise1994Join the Band861717 —RepriseUS: Gold1996Brothers —71 — —Reprise1998So Cool —928 —Reprise1999We Wish You a Merry Christmas — — — —Reprise2002Beautiful World — —14 —Warner Bros.2006Feels Good — — 10 —Take 6 Records2008The Standard — — 6 2Heads Up2010The Most Wonderful Time of the Year —70 —402012One — — 15 —Shanachie2016Believe — 25 9 2 Sono2018Iconic — 9 — 1 "—" denotes that a release did not chart
Live albums YearAlbumUSUSR&BUSGospelUSJazz Label Certification(s)2000Tonight: Live — — — —Reprise
Singles 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) (No. 19 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) 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" (No. 36 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) 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" 2015: "When Angels Cry" 2018: "Sailing"
Video releases YearTitleLabelNotes 1990 Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella PBS Guest 1991 Sesame Street PBS Guest for two song segments: The ABC Song and "Take 6" 1992 All Access Warner Reprise VHS 2009 Michael McDonald – A Tribute to Motown [Live] E1 Entertainment Guest
Awards and nominations Grammy Awards Year Category Title Result1989 Best New Artist — 1989 Best Soul Gospel Performance – Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus Take 6 1989 Best Jazz Vocal Performance – Duo or Group "Spread Love" 1990 Best Gospel Performance – Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus "The Savior Is Waiting" 1990 Best Jazz Vocal Performance – Duo or Group "Like the Whole World's Watching" 1991 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album So Much 2 Say 1992 Best Jazz Vocal Performance He Is Christmas 1993 Best Jazz Vocal Performance "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" 1995 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Join the Band 1995 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Duo or Group "Biggest Part of Me" 1996 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Duo or Group "All I Need (Is a Chance)" 1997 Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals "When You Wish upon a Star" 1997 Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocal(s) "When You Wish Upon a Star" 1998 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Brothers 1998 Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals "You Don't Have to Be Afraid" 2000 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album So Cool 2003 Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "Love's in Need of Love Today" (with Stevie Wonder) 2005 Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals "Moon River" (with Stevie Wonder) 2009 Best Gospel Performance "Shall We Gather at the River"
GMA Dove Award wins Year Category Title1988 Contemporary Gospel Album Take 61988 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 Say1990 Contemporary Gospel Album He Is Christmas1992 Contemporary Gospel Album Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration 1994 Contemporary Gospel Album Join the Band1996 Special Event Album Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch (various artists)
References
External links
Take 6 at Encyclopedia.com Alvin Chea Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2013) Claude McNight Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2013) David Thomas Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2013) Joey Kibble Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2013) Mark Kibble Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2013) Khristian Dentley Interview at NAMM Oral History Library] (2013)