Take 6

With roots in gospel, doo wop, and the sophisticated jazz-influenced singing groups of mid-century America like the Hi-Lo's, the a cappella vocal group Take 6 is both a throwback to an earlier era of American music and a precursor for a number of black male pop groups (most notably Boyz II Men). Formed at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, the group's early work balanced arrangements of Negro spirituals and newly-composed material. Signed to Reprise in 1988, Take 6 started making smooth yet vocally adventuresome albums that defied pigeonholing other than the all-purpose a cappella label. They've worked with Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, Johnny Mathis, Joe Sample, and Randy Travis, among many others.