What started as a fun hobby on YouTube has become a full-time career for five professional a cappella singers called Backtrack Vocals.
“We took it from the screen to the stage and decided to make a full-time go of it,” said Mike Hinkle, one of the vocalists. Today they have more than 12 million viewers on various social media channels, and have appeared on NBC, FOX and PBS, among other television stations.
Backtrack Vocals performs at 3 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Trapp Auditorium in Waukegan, through the Lake County Community Concert Association. Melissa Jordano, another member of the group, said one reason Backtrack Vocals is so popular is that “people love a cappella music. The voice is so unique. We are all born with this instrument.
“Often people come up after a concert and say, ‘I can’t believe you did that with just your voices.’ There’s a wow factor when people hear the full sound of five voices. We have two members who are the rhythm section. One is the beat boxer and the other the bass singer. They hold down the groove of the song,” Jordano said.
“Then we have the vocal trio with soprano, alto and tenor. What’s nice about having the three voices, is you can incorporate three-part harmony.” Jordano said Backtrack Vocals appeals to all kinds of music lovers. “We’re a multigenre group,” she said. “We cover everything from classical to Motown to show tunes. We just added a country song. We like to do something for everyone. We also arrange all our music.”
Craig Simonetti, another member of the group, serves as its music director and chief arranger.
Hinkle said Simonetti uses various tools to arrange songs for five voices. “He decides on an entirely new use, for example, taking a ballad and making it up tempo,” Hinkle said. “He also may do what we call a copy-paste, making it sound as it does on the radio.”
In a Beethoven Medley, the vocalists emulate instruments including percussion. “Craig taught us how to make this noise that sound like a violin,” Hinkle said.
“We get a lot of compliments on it,” Jordano said. “It’s Beethoven like they’ve never heard it before.”
Backtrack visits schools working with choirs and putting on assembly programs. “We always tell them that the biggest key is just doing it, doing it as often as you can,” Hinkle said. “It’s hard work.”
Working with young people is important to Backtrack Vocals.” Music is so powerful,” Hinkle said. “You can have a kid who has a hard time making friends, and music could give him confidence,” Hinkle said. “Principals have come up to us after the show to tell us that.”
The Waukegan show will include two 45-minute acts with performances of Beethoven, Mary Poppins, Beatles and NSYNC arrangements. Backtrack Vocals also will perform “Crainiotomy,” written by Simonetti. “It’s a really driving song,” Hinkle said. “It tells a story and the harmonies are big. It’s at the top and bottom of a lot of our ranges. It’s very challenging.”
Each group member is taking the lead on two original pieces that will go into a new album. Jordano said he group loves singing covers but doing original music also allows them tobe more expressive about who they are.
Backtrack Vocals
When: 3 p.m. Feb. 26
Where: Trapp Auditorium, Waukegan High School, 2325 Brookside Ave.
Tickets: $30
Information: 847-281-5209, lakecountyconcerts.org
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
