Home Free

As Hotel Director of Celebrity Infinity, I have great pleasure in writing this letter of reference for the four person a cappella vocal band known as Home Free. They have thoroughly entertained our guests both on the main stage and at smaller intimate locations, combining musical excellence, originality and showmanship. Home Free has a nice personable manner about them and at all times have remained professional and friendly. They are enjoyed by a cross section of audiences and successfully balance a modern style for younger guests with a traditional aproach for our more senior guests.

As someone who has come from an entertainment background with over ten years as a cruise director, I can confidently say that they are the best group of this category of entertainment I have encountered. Hopefully, Home Free will be working a long time at this company but, if they were to look elsewhere for new and different challenges, as you can see I highly recommend them. Thank you! - GTS Infinity Hotel Director, Simon Weir

A nice change of pace of my normal music listening habits was found when I popped in a Mankato-based acapella group's latest album - Home Free's Live in Concert. While I will outright admit I am certainly not a fan of the genre, I can't deny I found myself tapping my foot, feeling that unspoken groove, and even getting a good laugh in here and there with the variety of song choices this talented set of gents decided to use.

Recorded last December 7th at Bethany Lutheran College, Home Free mixes a combination of original tracks and quality covers on the album, recorded in front of a live audience. In terms of covers, there is everything from the Beatles' Saw Her Standing There to God Bless the USA, (very well done by the way) to such oddities as I Am Woman (there is something hilarious about five guys singing this) and the theme to the old Disney cartoon Ducktales. The latter track had me rolling in laughter, yet still impressed at how they put a unique twist on a highly unexpected cover. Hearing women in the crowd going gaga when they started singing it was also pretty funny.

The group has a unique energy and inate charisma I've never seen from an acapella group before and probably never will. To find out more about them or pick up the CD, check out www.thehomefreegroup.com and don't miss their 4th annual concert at Hosanna Lutheran Church on Oct. 23rd. A DVD version of the concert is also available. - Applauze Magazine's Critics Corner by Jed Highum

It takes a talented group of musicians to perform sophisticated original music along with inventive covers of common songs like "Saw Her Standing There," "God Bless the USA," "Brown Eyed Girl," and even the "Ducktales" theme song. But it takes even more talent (and guts) to do these songs completely a cappella.

One of the most distinct and refreshing acts in southern Minnesota, Home Free - whose members are Chris Rupp, Matt Atwood, Joe Kent, Joe Fine, and Adam Rupp - has been spreading the gospel of a cappella through
their vibrant, comedy-oriented performances. The combination of the former and current MSU / Gustavus students' vocal talents with an unpredictable performance has brought much critical acclaim and fan response. "We're very improv oriented, which would explain our unpredictable performances," said Atwood. This was apparent in the group's performance at Bethany Lutheran College last December (which was recorded on DVD and CD and is now on sale). The audience stared in amazement as the quintet performed originals such as "Life is Easier" and "Won't Breathe a Word." The Audience members also went wild during their hilarious "Songs that didn't make the cut" routine, which included such "classics" as "Song that Doesn't End," "I am Woman," "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)" and a nearly perfect rendition of the memorable theme to "Ducktales."

Although they are a big success now, the group's original incarnation was a talent show act that began in 2000. "It started out as just a hobby we wanted to do," said Chris Rupp. But after a successful first performance, they decided to take their music further.

In 2001, the group adopted a more distinct sound when member Adam Rupp (brother of Chris) decided to add his vocal percussion talents to the mix. A far cry from your typical human beat-box performers, Rupp brings a more accurate and entertaining sound. "He wows the audience every performance, especially in his solos," said (Chris) Rupp.

Although the group has several musical influences such as a cappella groups like GLAD and Rockapella, they try to keep their performances as original as possible. "[Rockapella] is so established and respected that all their performances need [to consist of] is just music," said Atwood. "We've been integrating a lot more comedy in our performances."

After a year-long hiatus in 2002, the group returned and is now gaining more popularity than ever. "We've inversted a lot more into this...with the ultimate goal of going into this fulltime," said Rupp.

Future performances from Home Free will include a Relay for Life public concert May 21st as well as a July performance at North Mankato's FUNDAYS Celebration.
CDs and DVDs of their Bethany performance are on sale at www.thehomefreegroup.com - The Reporter's Variety Cover Story by Mike Hanzelka

October 28th 2008

To Whom it may concern,

We are writing with reference to Home Free who have been employed by Norwegian Cruise Line as A Cappella musicians onboard the Norwegian Spirit.

Home Free has proven to be very successful and appreciated by both guests and crew. Their shows have delighted our audiences, and include a good variety of music with the utmost thought to presentation, and the humor they inject into their performance only serves to enhance their overall show. They can be relied upon at all times and have gone above and beyond their regular shows by providing performances in the main theater, musical workshops and Broadway collaborations with our other singers onboard.

They are a very talented group of young men and it would be a privilege to work with them again. We would highly recommend Home Free to any future cruise company or anyone in the entertainment industry. If any further reference is required, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Iain Bagshaw - Cruise Director Norwegian Spirit

Frank Hasenwinkel - Hotel Director Norwegian Spirit - NCL