Night Owls (vocal group)


The Night Owls is the oldest continuous all-female a cappella group in the United States and are Vassar College's oldest a cappella group. The Night Owls are an all-female jazz a cappella group that performs a range of music from jazz standards to current pop hits to indie-folk music.

History

The Night Owls always perform dressed in all-black to respect the tradition of the group's founding. In the midst of the polio epidemic of 1942, sixteen intrepid female students escaped from their quarantined dorms late one night and snuck into the library basement. There they sang and serenaded sick classmates with their dulcet tones.

Performance History

The group performs many times throughout Vassar's academic year including at final concerts in December and May, local fundraisers, joint concerts with other Vassar and non-Vassar a cappella groups, and Vassar events. More information about gigs can be found on their website and Facebook page.
In 1996 The Night Owls performed as the opening act for Hillary Clinton when she spoke at Vassar College. Following that performance the group was invited to sing at the inauguration of the 42nd President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, in January 1997. That same year, The Night Owls competed in the semi-finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella at Haverford College. While they did not move onto the finals at Lincoln Center in New York City, then musical director Amanda Weeden ‘97 won “Best Soloist” for her performance of Captain and Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” beating out the University of Pennsylvania Counterparts John Stephens, better known today as EGOT winner John Legend.

Discography

  1. Back Pocket Vulfpeck
  2. Back to Black Amy Winehouse
  3. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen The Andrews Sisters
  4. Beyond the Sea Bobby Darin
  5. Billy-A-Dick Bette Midler
  6. Body Sinead Harnett
  7. Bring on the Men Jekyll & Hyde
  8. A Case of You Joni Mitchell
  9. Crazy In Love Beyoncé
  10. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Bob Dylan
  11. Dream a Little Dream of Me
  12. Helplessly Hoping Crosby, Stills & Nash
  13. Hit the Road Jack Ray Charles
  14. Hotel Song Regina Spektor
  15. I Get a Kick Out of You Cole Porter
  16. I Need a Man to Love Janis Joplin
  17. Landslide Fleetwood Mac
  18. Love Will Keep Us Together Captain & Tennille
  19. Me and Mrs. Jones Billy Paul
  20. Moon River
  21. Moondance Van Morrison
  22. Night and Day Cole Porter
  23. Plain Gold Ring Kimbra
  24. Runaround Sue Dion DiMucci
  25. Runnin' Wild
  26. Saving Ourselves for Yale
  27. See Saw Aretha Franklin
  28. Sexy Silk Jessie J
  29. Skyfall Adele
  30. Sleepwalker Emily King
  31. Stop Your Crying Lake Street Dive
  32. Sweet Dreams Joseph
  33. That Lonesome Road James Taylor
  34. Tracks of My Tears The Miracles
  35. Trickle, Trickle The Videos
  36. Unchain My Heart Ray Charles
  37. Up The Ladder to the Roof The Supremes
  38. Wildewoman Lucius
  39. You Don't Own Me Lesley Gore