Hey Chasers! With this being the week of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take the time to toss a question out there to SNC Land. In each of our SNC FanChat interviews, we ask the guys a variation of this question: "How has SNC's fans impacted you personally?" So, turning that same question around and directing at the fans, I'd like to ask the fan base, "How has SNC impacted you personally, and if you could thank them, what would you say?" I understand that some responses will be personal and you may not want to post on a public forum, and I respect that. But for everyone else out there that would like to take the time to answer the question and let SNC know how much we each appreciate all of their dedication and hardwork, hopefully they'll have a chance to read this discussion and all of the thanks and appreciation will help ease the pain of being away from home this Thanksgiving holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (SNC and fellow fans), and may each of you have a very safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.
-Tina G.
SNC keeps me sane during crazy long work weeks, like this one. LOL
SNC has helped me through some bad days with their music. Also they have made it possible for me to make new friends from Europe, Canada and USA.
WOW, Laura! Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to this, but "....we need to hold ourselves and each other to that same standards so that WE can make a positive impact on other Chasers, SNC, and our family/fiends/neighbors." WOW!
And as Kary said, preach! Thank you ladies. I could not agree more.
Lastly, Terry - wow. I can sure identify with you as well! So many inspiring stories here!!
Too late Kary/Laura, already bawling my eyes out! Too much mushy stuff going on!
How has SNC impacted me personally??
I want to know how we Chasers can become so close, care so much about each other, support and respect and encourage each other when we need to and for the most part, never even met each other? We are women for Gods sake. This just doesn't happen to our kind!
Well, guess what, we are SNC Chasers and proud of it. Being a Chaser has changed me from the woman I was (someone I didn't care too much for) to the strong, proud, and independent woman I now am. I might even say (with a little hesitation) that "I LIKE ME". And it is all because of you guys. The men, the music, definately. But it is because I have "friends" like you all that gives me the strength to get even better each day. I look back and I say that I don't know where I would have been without you guys and SNC! Thank you!
@laura You're making me cry!! That is so sweet! I love you!!! Preach on sista!
I have to agree that chasers don't get all catty and everyone has been so nice! I think we all want to be a good representative of such an incredible group of guys. I can't believe how fast some of us became friends. SNC attracts the best kind of people! Yeah we get a little crazy but only in the best possible way. This has become a family and I'm very proud to be a part of it!
Now stop with the mushy stuff before I start bawling!
@ Dottie...i think that one of the things that does that is other Chasers. Seriously do you think you could get this many women involved in something without being all catty and all up in each others business? No.
However, there is something about SNC...is it the music? their dedication to doing music well....their attitude of taking music seriously but not themselves?...hmm..whatever it is, it has permeated through all Chasers that i have met and chatted with on this site.
i might embarrass her but Kary showed me that right away. She was a Chaser long before i, however, upon meeting her and the rest of the group IMMEDIATELY it felt like a good friendship. No one was stuck up or crazy(well..yes crazy but not whitchy..)Total friendliness. Cindy also blew me away with her kindness. And then that kind of behaviour gets stuck in your craw and that is how i behave (with a side of naughty) toward others. And when you practice that for one thing...it then moves to all areas of you life.
So listen Chasers, as much as we say we do not wan the guys to get snooty or beyond themselves...we need to hold ourselves and each other to that same standards so that WE can make a positive impact on other Chasers, SNC, and our family/fiends/neighbors. And when i say "we" i most certainly mean "me"
And i have no idea how i got to preaching but there you have it. SNC makes me swoon, drool, faint and preach.
SNC has also made it possible for me to be friends with people from all across the US, which has been very fun. Even though I haven't met any of you face to face, I still feel like we are friends...
Just reading back through some of the comments, it truly becomes clear how important "live performances" truly are! It is fun to watch the YouTube videos, but that doesn't give you the picture of the interaction with the audience. SNC is an amazing group, but seeing them live gives you the real picture of how totally amazing and fun they truly are! How many other performers come out after they do their show and sit for how ever long it takes to meet and talk with the audience members? This has been the most amazing thing for me to see and witness--just adds to how great each member of SNC truly is and a lot of why Chasers have such great respect for the guys!
Yes!! They inspired me to write a couple of poems for them. Somewhere deep in the Discussions here, is "Ode to Straight No Chaser" and another poem about their 2010 Fall Tour. I've never felt the need to write before, but these guys are truly an inspiration! :-)
I'm singing more in church. Duets with my husband and once in a while, a solo. :-)
I've been an SNC fan for as long as they've been around...but since seeing them live and officially becoming a "Chaser," though, it's like a curtain has been pulled back and I see all sorts of possibilities. I have a book on order on a cappella arranging, I've been brushing up on my music theory, my enthusiasm for my chorus has been boosted, and I've joined a quartet. Among other things, but those are just off the top of my head.
I've certainly been tempted to and have indulged in 'adult libations' a lot more since I found out about SNC. Does that count? =)
Some chasers and I were discussing yesterday how we felt more creatively inspired by SNC, and I thought I would bring this discussion back up to the top of the queue for comment. Has anyone else felt inspired to sing, write, compose, arrange, go on adventures try new things or just generally enjoy life more by these guys?
Well, Tina Bina has encouraged me to write something light-hearted, so here it is!
SNC has inspired me to sing and dance!
Jokes aside, it is the truth. I have done a lot more sing & dancing (and laughing) since seeing them live in October and meeting so many new wonderful Chaser friends. I have always loved to sing & dance, but was never encouraged to do either. Someday I would like lessons in both. But for now, I am content to simply enjoy life to the fullest by singing and dancing whenever the occasion arises. No longer will I watch everyone else dance at a wedding and remain seated because someone once made me feel silly. No longer will I wait until I know every single word of a song to sing along with the radio. Life is too short to wait until you get all the words right or all the moves down.
Thanks, SNC
Tina...thank you for starting this topic..I hope the guys read through this if they ever begin to wonder for a second if all the hard work and sacrifices that they and their families have made to be on the road are worth it. Most assuredly, you have touched the lives of so many people in ways that they may never know. They have been a comfort, a blessing, a laugh when it is most needed. I pray that they are able to do whatever is needed to care for themselves, so that they are able to continue on the path they started and bring joy to millions more.
where do I start? I used to have a passion for music; I actually had a very good voice and loved to sing but the passion for music left me when I had a vocal cord injury that partially paralized one of my cords. Many months of speech therapy to learn to speak in a voice range that would not leave me hoarse gave me back a speaking voice but I never was able to regain a strong singing voice. In my mind I could sing but what came out of my mouth was quite frightful. I walked away from music and shut it out of my life. Over the years Ive had many challenges but the year of 2009 was my biggest. I had come close to death spent many many days in ICU and came home feeling much alone and isolated. My place of employment had terminated my job due to inability to return from medical leave of absence. Being single and my only source of income things looked very bleak. I first saw SNC on QVC and soon after caught their PBS special. There was something in the joy of their performance that came through. I did many many months of physical therapy and SNC on my ipod is what got me through it. I slowly opened myself to music again. I now sing around the house although my guess is my cats do not care much for it.
To just say thank-you seems hardly enough. These 10 men we know as SNC have put joy of music back in my life. The gracious treatment I have received each time I have seen them still amazes me. The other gift I have gotten from them a connection with a wonderful group of "chasers" I can truly call friends.
I am back to work... loving my job even though at times it is very stressful. I attend as many concerts as I can. I still find just sitting back and listening to their music takes me to a higher place. There are many types of love abd all I can say is I love these ten guys who bring so much joy. May God coninue to bless them. My prayers are with them daily.
To the entire SNC community, Have a blessed holiday filled with love and loved ones.
Cindy
This is an interesting twist on interviews.. Awesome topic Tina! I think the SNC mentality of "With a Twist" is catching on!
Personally, first and foremost, I know I have a deeper appreciation for what goes into arranging a song to get the most out of it. Since, for the most part, these songs are covers, it's hard not to compare them. However, I have yet to find a song that SNC has done where I prefer the original version. It's like I'm hearing it for the first time, yet I'm familiar with it as well. Kinda hard to explain...
There's definitely an appreciation for what a human voice could do and what 10 of them together could produce. It makes it almost more personal because it's not hyped up with guitar solos and synths. It's just 10 (amazing!) guys singing to you. That just makes it magic.
With that "making it more personal" aspect, there are definitely a few songs that have a lasting effect. I know some people have mentioned "Fix You" and I'm just going to be another one of those people. It's a great song and so well done, emotionally, from SNC that it has a whole new dynamic. There have been times where I've felt "broken" and 10 guys saying (through my computer on youtube) that they want to fix those who are broken strikes a chord and makes things better for a while.
Personal = emotional. Emotional = more than just music.
Thank you SNC.
Thank you, Tina, for starting this post!!
Im a warrior mom. For the past 6 years Ive been on a crusade to recover my son from autism, which doesnt lend itself to a whole lot of time for any outside interests. I cant even begin to tell someone what its like to hear that diagnosis and then have to deal with it, but trust me it is the most difficult trial I have ever faced. What does this have to do with SNC? Well, they came into my life three years ago via YouTube just as I was starting the real turning point of this recovery crusade, but I didnt have time to even think of *chasing* them. I was (and still am) battling the autism demon. Fast forward to the present: my son is 95% recovered and Ive been able to ease up just a bit and *allow* myself some fun: come in SNC. They had me with 12 days, but honestly it didnt really hit until I saw them in concert. Ill never forget it. May 10, 2010, in Santa Fe, NM at the Lensic Theatre. My daughter and I were having a girls night out; dinner and a concert. I was hooked (and so was she) after the first song but, it was during Fix You that I knew I would never be the same. It was as if they were singing to my son, for me and I had tears in my eyes. In that one concert I smiled, laughed, cried just a little, and by the end my cheeks hurt. It was perfect.
Thank you, Mike, Ryan, Jerome, Walt, Tyler, Seggie, Dave, Dan, Don, Randy and Charlie, for being there when I was ready.
I am so thankful for Straight No Chaser, for this site, and for all the Chasers Im getting to know. Its been a long 6 years, but the joy Im experiencing now is a blessing!
Well they say timing is everything. So here goes.
Five years ago today, I received news that changed my life forever, and not in a good way. It was like a light had been permanently dimmed in my life. Now, I have always been able to use the power of music, either singing or listening, to alter my moods but it was not working. Until the day that I started hearing the beautiful, joyful, pure voices of the 10 wonderful men that I now know as Straight No Chaser.
Mike, Jerome, Seggie, Tyler, Randy, Charlie, Don, Ryan, Walt, and Dave...THANK YOU for giving back to me the joy of music and for helping me get through the holiday season. Whenever I am in the need of a smile or any type of pck me up, I can always count on that from listening to one of your songs or watching a video or any upside down photo on the SNC site :) Or I just listen to get my daily fix of SNC.
I am truly grateful to SNC, and now also the Chasers, for turning the light back up in my life.
@Tina:
Wow. That is .... deeply personal and moving. My answer will sound so shallow after yours ...
My weak answer: For me this journey has just begun: I am a happier person because music has taken on a whole new dimension for me in my daily life - opened up a new part of me. I have met some amazing people - fans and the gentlemen of SNC, who have made my life SO much richer. There is a truth and a beauty in their music, personalities, the way they interact with us, and interact with others that makes this place a virtual oasis! Much of the rest of the world is immodest, crude, rude, lacks integrity, and is arrogant. SNC is a giant breath of fresh air!!
I love all of them.
Recently I had to do the devotion for my Bible Study Small Group and was struggling with a topic. My daily devotion the day before was on "giving" and something came to mind. Used that devotion and added to it with a discussion on the giving of the SNC group and what they do for their fans and their concert. I received an email last week from the leader of the group that she had purchased tickets for her sister's birthday. The sister called and raved about the SNC concert--this was 11/18 in Rochester! New fan added through a devotion!
My life has not been the same since I became a chaser, the group, the community and the music just keep on giving. thank you for all you do.
Mary, I just saw your post to me on this discussion. I apologize for just now responding.
First off, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones. Cherish them; life is too short to spend without telling them of your love each and every day.
How has SNC impacted me personally? Deep breath...
Straight No Chaser, and specifically one song in particular in which they sing (and will remain unnamed), LITERALLY saved my life. How do you pay back something like that? I'm not sure, but I know that as long as SNC is a group, I will do my absolute best to try and repay them with my support.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. =)
My oldest daughter was in high school chamber choir and she came home one day wanting me to listen to a song that they were going to sing at their Christmas concert. She said it was a fun version of 12 Days and she wanted me to see it on youtube. That started it all for me with SNC. This past year I have gone through a separation and I have found that I listen to "Fix You" a lot. The SNC version is my therapy. I have bought their CDs and DVD and I finally got to see them in Charlottesville and was totally blown away! My daughter and I have been fans of acapella music for a long time and these guys are the best. We are going to see them in Raleigh! Thanks SNC for being a part of our lives! You are the best!!
As some others have mentioned here, I don't know if the right words exist to express how SNC has impacted my life. Bmb3134 and I have declared ourselves "SNC soulmates," and before we signed off facebook lthe other night, I said "I'm thankful I met you!" If not for SNC (and Kim's introduction), we wouldn't even know each other today. I wouldn't say that I was in a bad place so much the last few years, but, I've had my struggles. I can honestly say I've "lived" more this year than I have in a long time because of finding Straight No Chaser; the men, the music, the fans! (Yes, guys, you can use that as your documentary title... LOL) I know it sounds so cliche when I tell someone that the guys are the nicest, most down-to-earth people you will ever meet, but we ALL know it to be TRUE! They are so genuine it makes us feel like we can call them our "friends," in some weird sort of way. So, besides the men, and obviously the buh-mazing music, there are the Chasers. What can I say about Atlantic City? It brought so many of us together for one unforgettable weekend of what felt more like a reunion than a first-time meeting! SNC fans are the best of the BEST! I've gained a whole new group of friends this year because of SNC. BEEP!
I hope this post gives the guys some appreciation of how much they have impacted THIS life, and in such a positive way! "Thank you" just doesn't seem to be enough, but thanks for your decision to take a leap of faith to choose a new career path. Thanks to your families for being so willing to share so much of you with the rest of us. Thanks to the people behind the scense that make you look and sound so great night after night! Thanks to the bus drivers who keep you safe on the road. Thanks for remaining the top shelf guys we fell in love with from the first 12 days of Christmas!
Walt, Ryan, Randy, Charlie, Jerome, DR, Mike, Seggie, Tyler, and Don (and my Chaser buddies!)... Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.
~Julie
Its actually not hard for me to find the words to answer this question.
I saw them for the first time in Des Moines in October. My favorite song by far was Fix You. I wasnt really familiar with the song, but I went home and looked up YouTube videos of SNCs version along with the lyrics, and then I really understood why it hit me the way it did.
I started dancing nine years ago, and when I went to college three years ago I was dead-set on being a professional dancer. Then I transferred schools and had knee surgery and didnt know if I could ever dance again, and I wasnt sure I wanted to. The line When you lose something you cannot replace completely sums up my feeling right after my surgery. Im much more than just a dancer, but its still an integral part of who I am. I was on the verge of hating something that six months prior to that severed as my exercise, my career path, my stress relief, my pick-me-up, my joy, my creative outlet. What do you do when all of thats gone? Its a huge loss.
Long story short, I took a semester off from dancing, and in that time found I still like to dance and wanted to get back into it. But in the two semesters since then I havent been able to schedule a dance class. So its been a year and a half since Ive really trained and been in shape, though I worked at my old dance studio this summer. The second line from the song that really hit me was When youre too in love to let it go. I dont know how else to say it but Yep! Thats exactly how I feel. So next semester Im taking more dance classes than classes for my major. Recently, the owner of my old dance studio asked me if I wanted to dance in their Christmas show, I said yes, and Im going to dance to SNCs God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman. And Im really excited to dance for the first time in a year and a half all because I heard a song at a concert on Wednesday night in Des Moines, Iowa
So thank you for reminding me I am an artist.
I have the feeling that Snigglefritz may be a PA Dutch word, or else my mother coined that word about 40 years ago. She used it in place of expletives.
But I digress...
SNC's impact on my life has been to remind me how much I both LOVE and NEED to sing. I had not done any real singing for about 10 years following a divorce and starting life over again. I had moved to a new town, found a great job, met a wonderful man and fell in love again...and until I felt the ache in my heart from hearing how beautiful these guys blend their voices, I had almost forgotten that.
Thank you for putting a song back in my heart, for the nudge I felt when I listened to SNC to get back to singing. I found my voice again.
Thank you for being you, both SNC and inhabitants of Chaserville. We have been blessed to find each other.
Trying to figure out what to say for this question is really hard. Like everyone has said, I feel as though "Thank You" doesn't to even come close to what should be expressed to these guys. Chaserville as Kary has said is an amazing land to be apart of! I have met some awesome people because of this group.
SNC has changed the way I look at life and I couldn't thank them enough! I look at them and think about how much they have sacrificed to be able to pursue their dreams and then allow us the priveledge of being apart of their touring family. I can't imagine how being apart from their families for so long feels. Their music is going to make a cappella a huge sensation!
Their music is what can change the way people look at the world, they put so much emotion into what they sing that you can feel what they are singing. When you hear "Like A Prayer" you can feel every emotion that is running through the guys when they are singing. I have gotten so many of my friends to become chasers and they love SNC now!!!
So, thank you so very much Don, Mike, Ryan, Tyler, Seggie, Walt, Charlie, DR, Randy, Dan, Steve, Mike I!!!!!!!! Thank you for all you have put into Straight No Chaser and all the hard work that has gone into treating your fans like members of the family!! Thank you again!
Enjoy your day home with your families! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
LoriAnn
I am always in awe of the eloquent way that Kim puts things into words! :) She rules!
I completely echo everything that she and Carla and Kary said! SNIGGLEFRITZ!!!
There is so much that I would like to thank Straight No Chaser for. Well first of all thanks for sharing your God given talents with us! If I am having a terrible day I can always rely on your music to change it around. Also the other day when I was Ryan's blog post about the Baby Monkey(going backwards on a pig) and I couldn't do anything but laugh. Its things like those that I can look forward to when coming onto the website.
God Bless and Have a Happy Turkey Day!!!!
-Kayla B.
SNC is just a class act all the way around. Awesome musical talents, great humor, their friendships with each other show through, their shows are wonderful, they are super accessible to their fans, and from our fandom has sprung up this whole community who are now friends with each other beyond just being fellow fans. As Kary said, Chaserville is a wonderful place! I think the way SNC appeals to and brings together people of all ages, nationalities, races, walks of life is amazing. For me personally, SNC music is very uplifting. Also, the friendships I have forged with fellow Chasers have become very important to me in just the short time since I first began posting here a few months ago. I remember when Tina first "friended" me on FB & I told her I felt like I had "arrived" in Chaserville! Now I look at my FB posts, and a large number of the comments and replies are from Chaser friends. Not just the SNC related posts, but my posts about my everyday life. Chasers are an extremely caring group of people. SNC's impact on me has been that I was introduced not just to terrific, fun, outstanding music, but also to so many people that I now consider friends. Thank you to the 10 current members of SNC, to Dan, Mike I., and Steve, to all their families, to the many people who work with SNC in recording, touring, promotion. You have all created something very unique and special, and I really appreciate all that you do.
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