History of the Acafellaz

The 'Fellaz, April 2000 

Our story begins in the late 1990's. The campus of Illinois State University was a much different, quieter, less awesome place. A cappella groups at the collegiate level were gaining popularity across the nation, but there wasn't much opportunity for people at ISU to form these types of groups (or maybe there just weren't the right type of people around to form these groups). Finally, in the Spring of 1999, things began to change.

The Acafellaz did not begin as the group they are today. Over the years the group has changed, reinvented itself, and changed all over again. In the spring of 1999, the group formed with Andy Jensen, Niall Casserly, Steve Peter and Scott Grobstein. They performed mainly barbershop under the name "Four Score." This format only lasted one semester, however. In the fall of '99, the group expanded to six members and broadened their repertoire a bit to include a more popular style. With this change, a new name was necessary; the guys informally adopted the name "Six on the Beach," and they all lived happily ever after...

...but not quite. You may be wondering where the name "Acafellaz" came from. Maybe you're doing math in your head right now and you realize that there are more than six Acafellaz. Read on, friend. Read on.

A mere thirty minutes before their first public performance ever, someone involved with the performance (an ISU music faculty member) told them that their choice of name was inappropriate and needed to change. After what seemed like hours of frantic soul-searching and brainstorming (it was actually about 28 minutes), the guys walked onstage and introduced themselves as the Acafellaz. The unconvential spelling with the "z" is said to be a tribute to Boyz II Men, a group the founding members were big fans of.

During the first full year with their new name, the Acafellaz performed with the Decatur Chorale, several ISU School of Music events and did several private events. Over the years, this template for style and performance became a model for the 'Fellaz, and the group gained popularity among the ISU music community and around campus. Some other performances over the years included a spot as featured guest at "The Festival of the Voice" at the Raue Center for Performing Arts in Crystal Lake, Illinois, various a cappella festivals in the region, as well as area high school tours. At some point during this time they added a seventh member as a vocal percussionist.

Things were going well for the Acafellaz, but they still encountered some hiccups along the way. As a student run group with no ties to the School of Music or even the University, they were not eligible for funding and would occasionally have trouble scheduling events on campus. Along with this, the group was developing a more casual, social, and somewhat recreational approach to its existence. At the time, this suited the group just fine but it led to some strained relationships within the University Community.

In the fall of 2007, The Acafellaz began another transformation. Having graduated over half the group the year before (Including some incredible vocal talent), there was an influx of several new members, many of them very young. The group was in a difficult position, and it was uncertain what the future held. This turnover is a common problem for any ensemble at the collegiate level, but what happened with the 'Fellaz was unexpected. Responding to this challenge, the group reinvented itself, adopting a more traditional collegiate style. An eighth member was added. After many tireless arguments, blue polos and an embroidered "AF" logo became the standard performance look, along with blue jeans and white undershirts. Choreography and other types of "schtick" became a regular occurrence in many songs.

In the winter of 2007, for the first time in group history, the Acafellaz became a Registered Student Organization at Illinois State University. Dr. Christopher Hollingsworth, a voice teacher to many of the music majors in the group signed on as faculty advisor. This change opened up many more opportunities for the guys as far as funding, advertising and even performing. The biggest opportunity came with discovery that the 'Fellaz could now perform their annual spring concert in ISU's Braden Auditorium, a theatre that had seen the likes of Ben Folds, The Smashing Pumpkins, Dane Cook, Jim Gaffigan and Nobel Peace Prize winning author Elie Wiesel in recent history. 

In April of 2009, The Acafellaz celebrated their tenth anniversary with a special show in Braden. 'Fellaz Alumni gathered from across the country, the show was a hit, and the group made an announcement: With the help of Jonathan Smith, a 'Fellaz Alum ('00), the group would be recording their first ever studio album in group history. The album, titled Opening Day, was recorded in the Founders Suite in the Bone Student Center at ISU, and is currently in post-production.

With the first decade out of the way, the group is incredibly grateful to be where they are today, and is now looking forward to what the future holds. With new energy, new fans, more performances than ever, and a new album, you can be sure The 'Fellaz will continue their campus, state, and eventual world takeover. Thanks for all the support, and be ready!

Special Thanks: Jonathan Smith, Andy Jensen