Nyah Nile

Tony Huerta, audio and sound engineer for the Grammy-winning a cappella group Take 6, was the man behind the soul stirring sounds of DeltaCappella during the group’s Christmas concert with Kallen Esperian at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre last week. That’s where I caught up with him. Huerta, who received his first major album credit on the Take 6 recording “The Standard” released in October 2008, travels with the group on worldwide tours while still managing his Sonic Audio recording studio (www.sonicaudioproductions.com.) in Denver.

Nyah Niles: Thanks for taking out this time to speak to me today. Before we talk about DeltaCappella, Tell me how long have you been working with Take 6, and what is it like?

Tony Huerta:  It has been four amazing years. It is very busy and a lot of traveling. This year we have been to Europe three times and once to Japan. Not only are the guys amazing, they are so unique.  Over all the years, they have become seasoned like a fine wine. They just get better and better over time.

The Tri-State Defender’s ‘All Over Town’ personality Nyah Niles speaks with Tony Huerta, the sound manager for Take 6 and last week’s DeltaCappella concert at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre.  (Photo by Lee Taylor)

Also, I bet you did not know they’re working on a new project for Christmas next year. It’s an all-new Christmas CD. And I know you have heard the new CD, “The Standard.”

Nyah:  Well, I did not know about the new Christmas CD. I will keep a look out, and of course I have “The Standard.” I picked that up right after their last big concert here in Memphis.

Huerta:  I have been a fan of theirs for many years…. It’s good to work with them. They’re good guys and good Christian men. They take a good 45 minutes to an hour to pray and worship together before each and every concert…. As a matter of fact, I just left Birmingham, Ala., working with the guys at a concert there.

Nyah:  So right in the midst of working with Take 6 you traveled here to work with DeltaCappella. Describe what it is about this Memphis group that appeals to you the most?

Huerta: Beneath their performance is a lot of raw talent and they’re just starting to bring that out. They are all great to work with and the dynamic of 12 guys pulling it together at once is the hurdle that they are over coming. As they do that the raw talent just comes out and explodes.

Nyah: Where do you see DeltaCappella in the next couple of years?

Huerta:  For sure DeltaCappella could be on a national stage. It is just a matter of how they get there. In the last year, their talent has gone tenfold in quality of performance, their blend, control and their audience appeal. Tonight’s show was a show. You laughed, you got chills and you felt the power come off the stage.

Nyah:  How about some words of encouragement for our Memphis musicians out there?

Huerta:  Hard work, just keep working hard. There are some people in the industry who get there by luck and there are some people, including Take 6, who get there by working hard.  Before they landed their big break, they rehearsed 30 hours a week for six months. They would spend four-to-six hours on one single song untill it was perfect. It is that kind of hard work that DeltaCappella is putting in that sets them apart from others.

(Hey, want Nyah Nile to come see your next big event or maybe you have an interesting question? E-mail Nyah at nyah@tri-statedefender.com)