ROCKAPELLA

'Rockapella' is an American a cappella musical group best known for their series of Folgers Coffee commercials and the ''Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'' theme song. "Rockapella" is a portmanteau of "rock" and "a cappella". In addition to original vocal music, the group also perform a cappella covers of pop songs. '
The original group members consisted of Brown University alumni Elliott Kerman, David Stix, Sean Altman, and Steve Keyes, who started performing together sheerly out of their love for music. Stix left the group early on and was replaced with Charlie Evett. After having performed on New York City street corners for passers-by the group met a producer who found them a spot on the television show Spike & Co.: Do It A Cappella, hosted by Spike Lee. It was this show that put them in the national spotlight. [1]
The text "All sounds provided by the voices and appendages of Rockapella," the central idea of the group, appears on the group's label debut, ''Don't Tell Me You Do''.
None of the original members of Rockapella currently remain in the group. Founding members Sean Altman and Steve Keyes, Rockapella alum Charlie Evett, and non-Rockapella-related baritone Kevin Weist now comprise an a cappella group called The GrooveBarbers. They can be seen on a current nationwide television ad for Astelin nasal spray as 'The Astelins'. Founding member Elliott Kerman, is working independently on jazz music compilations.
Frequently, songs downloaded on file-sharing programs are mis-tagged as Rockapella, when they are instead by other a cappella artists, including collegiate groups, Moxy Früvous, The Nylons, and Da Vinci's Notebook, as well as for other, less similar acts, such as Eddie From Ohio, or They Might Be Giants.

Contents

Membership history

Temporary members

Discography

Domestic releases

International releases

Compilation releases

Unaffiliated releases

Solo/Other CDs

Songs in commercials

External links

Membership history

(1986-1987)	★ Steve Keyes - High tenor ★ Sean Altman - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ David Stix - Bass
(1987-1989)	★ Steve Keyes - High tenor ★ Sean Altman - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ Charlie Evett - Bass
(1989-1991)	★ Steve Keyes - High tenor ★ Sean Altman - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ Barry Carl - Bass
(1991-1993)	★ Scott Leonard - High tenor ★ Sean Altman - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ Barry Carl - Bass
(1993-1997)	★ Scott Leonard - High tenor ★ Sean Altman - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ Barry Carl - Bass ★ Jeff Thacher - Vocal percussion
(1997-2002)	★ Scott Leonard- High tenor ★ Kevin Wright - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ Barry Carl - Bass ★ Jeff Thacher - Vocal percussion
(2002-2004)	★ Scott Leonard - High tenor ★ Kevin Wright - Tenor ★ Elliott Kerman - Baritone ★ George Baldi III - Bass ★ Jeff Thacher - Vocal percussion
(2004-Present)	★ Scott Leonard - High tenor ★ Kevin Wright - Tenor ★ John K. Brown - Tenor ★ George Baldi III - Bass ★ Jeff Thacher - Vocal percussion

Temporary members

★ Kenny X - Vocal percussion (1992/1993)

★ David Yazbek - Vocal percussion (1992) ''(on Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego)''

Discography

Domestic releases

'Release Date'	'Album'	'Line-up'	'Label'
June 2004	''Live In Japan''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Baldi, Thacher	Shakariki Records
November 2002	''Comfort & Joy''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Baldi, Thacher	Amerigo Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
August 2002	''Smilin'''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Baldi, Thacher	Amerigo Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
March 2001	''In Concert''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	J-Bird Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
October 2000	''Christmas''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	J-Bird Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
March 2000	''2''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	J-Bird Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
February 1999	''Don't Tell Me You Do''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	J-Bird Records Re-released on Shakariki Records in 2004
Summer 1997	''Rockapella aka 'Devilbaby'	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Independent
Summer 1996	''Lucky Seven''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Independent
Summer 1995	''Primer''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Independent

International releases

'Year'	'Album'	'Line-up'	'Label'
2002	''More Than Ever''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Rentrak Records
2002	''In Concert''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Rentrak Records
2001	''Christmas''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	Rentrak Records
November 1996	''Lucky Seven: Memories And Dreams''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	For Life Records
November 1995	''Best Fest''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	For Life Records
November 1994	''Out Cold''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	ForLife Records
April 1994	''Vocobeat''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	ForLife Records
December 1992	''Bash!''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	ForLife Records
May 1992	''From N.Y.''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	ForLife Records
May 1992	''To N.Y.''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	ForLife Records

Compilation releases

'Year'	'Album'	'Line-up'	'Song'
2002	''20 Christmas Stars, Vol. IV''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Baldi, Thacher	"Merry Christmas Darling"
1996	''Voices Only: A Cappella Originals''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	"Bed Of Nails"
1993	''Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Big Wet Rag"
1993	''Put On Your Green Shoes''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Light Of The Sun" w/Richie Havens
1993	''Muppet Beach Party''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"PapaOomMowMow"
1992	''Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Capital", "Everything To Me", "My Home", "Let's Get Away From It All", "Indiana", "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?"
1992	''Modern A Cappella''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Zombie Jamboree"
1991	''Zappa's Universe''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Elvis Has Left The Building", "Heavenly Bank Account"
1990	''Spike Lee & Company: Do It A Cappella''	Keyes, Altman, Kerman, Carl	"Zombie Jamboree " & "Under The Boardwalk"

Unaffiliated releases

'Release Date'	'Album'	'Line-up'	'Label'
Summer 2005	''Live At Duo Music Exchange''	Leonard, Wright, Kerman, Baldi, Thacher	Duo Records
Summer 2004	''Best A Cappella''	Leonard, Altman, Kerman, Carl, Thacher	ForLife Records

Solo/Other CDs

★ ''The OGs Featuring Scott Leonard'' ... Scott Leonard

'Release Date'	'Album'	'Artist'
May 2007	''1 Man 1 Mike''	Scott Leonard
	''My Favorites: The Bee Gees''	Scott Leonard
	''Nice Kitty''	Scott Leonard (Fi Ling Fader)
	''Bluespeel''	Scott Leonard (Flying Faders)
	''Unorthodox''	Sean Altman (What I Like About Jew)
	''Losing Streak''	Sean Altman
	''alt.mania''	Sean Altman
	''SeanDEMOnium''	Sean Altman
	''The SoLow Project''	Barry Carl
	''Glory''	The Groovebarbers

Songs in commercials

★ Almond Joy/Mounds

★ Taco Bell

★ Folgers coffee

★ Doritos

★ Dr Pepper (never aired)

★ NBC The Today Show promos for the program's "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" segment
Many people believe Rockapella performed Coca Cola commercials and performed the Gummi Bears theme. These sound clips are available online, but are not Rockapella's work, but rather the Brown Derbies.

External links

★ Rockapella.com - Rockapella's Official Website

★ ScottLeonardMusic.com - Scott Leonard's Official Website

★ The Seanosphere - Sean Altman's Official Website

★ ElliottKerman.com - Elliott Kerman's Official Website

★ BarryCarl.com - Barry Carl's Official Website

★ GrooveBarbers.com- The Groovebarber's Official Website