A cappella group Street Corner Symphony performs Oct. 11 at Duling Hall. Photo by Courtesy Allen Clark Photography
"The Sing-Off" on NBC wasn't on Street Corner Symphony's radar until a friend randomly called the group during the summer of 2010.
"A friend of ours from high school named John McLemore told us about it. I used to sing with him in the high school choir at Madison Central High School," Richie Lister says.
"Hey, there is this reality TV show called 'The Sing-Off' having auditions in Nashville," Lister recalls McLemore saying.
Street Corner Symphony, a modern-day a cappella group—meaning the music only features vocals—made it to second place on the show's second season in 2010, giving the group extra leverage to finish its second album. Since then, Street Corner Symphony has sung with talented musicians from Ben Folds to Alison Krauss.
Based in Nashville, the group consists of Mark McLemore, Adam Chance, Kurt Zimmerman, and the Madison-born Lister brothers: Jeremy, Jonathan and Richie.
The Lister brothers grew up in a musical family. Richie and Jeremy were in a Jackson-based rock band, Geronimo Rex. Richie was also in Sunshine and the Rival Band.
In July, the group released its second album, "Southern Autumn Nostalgia," making a bold move in the a cappella genre by going with original tracks.
"We approach the a cappella genre in a different way than a lot of groups," Richie Lister says. "I think we approach it more as a rock band than an a cappella group. Our songwriting is all original songs. I think that sets us apart."
The album starts off with a blood-pumping number called "Voodoo," a sultry New Orleans-inspired tune.
"Those devilish eyes, girl, they blow my mind, and you're pouring me a glass of your blood-red wine. There's no use trying to resist your wicked ways," the group sings.
Songs such as "Frozen in Time" and "Picturing You" bring out the barbershop side of the album. For the last two tracks of the record, the group displays a type of old-world chant with "Sicut Tempus Fugit" that goes into the a cappella metal song, "Dragon Rider."
"We don't take ourselves too seriously; we have a good time with it. We wanted to have something on there that's a little funny," Lister says.
Street Corner Symphony performs at 9 p.m. Oct. 11 at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Buy "Southern Autumn Nostalgia" online. Visit streetcornersymphony.com.
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