The Choir is an atmospheric alternative rock band currently comprising Derri Daugherty on guitar and lead vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums and percussion, and Dan Michaels on saxophone and Lyricon.

[4] The two quickly became friends, and Youth Choir got its start within the Calvary Chapel Christian punk and alternative music scene,[4] which also included the bands Undercover, Crumbächer, Altar Boys and 4-4-1.

The band's first official recording was the track "It's So Wonderful," released in 1983 on the compilation album What's Shakin', which also included early work from Undercover, Altar Boys and The Lifters.

[5] As Youth Choir, they released their debut album Voices in Shadows in 1985, with Mike Sauerbrey on bass;[6] their first EP Shades of Gray followed a year later, when Dan Michaels joined the band.

[8] This was followed by three more albums for Myrrh, which featured musical contributions from an array of performers, including Charlie Peacock, Mark Heard, Steve Griffith of Vector and Gene Eugene and Riki Michele from Adam Again.

Chandler was the primary bass player until 1989's Wide-Eyed Wonder, when Robin Spurs replaced him on that album and tour, but she left the band during the recording of 1990's Circle Slide.

Sauerbrey returned to the band for those recording sessions, and remained with the Choir for two more years until Chandler rejoined the lineup for the independently-released Kissers and Killers.

[13][14] During their Southern California period, the Choir's music was described by the Los Angeles Times as "magical songs that combine strains of murky psychedelia with pure pop.

[8] Daugherty and Hindalong were both married with children, and the Christian alternative music scene in Southern California was no longer as active as it was in its mid-‘80s heyday.

[37] Even when the Choir directly addressed matters of faith in their lyrics, the band's music rarely gained airplay on mainstream Christian radio.

"[40] In an attempt to broaden the Choir’s appeal to Christian audiences, Myrrh had the band open for Russ Taff on his high-profile The Way Home tour in 1990.

[23][1] After a year and a half of playing clubs—including famous venues like the Troubadour in West Hollywood and CBGB in New York City[26]—the Choir considered changing their name to Kissers and Killers.

[48] In August of that same year, this new five-member Choir played the Broken Records Reunion, a 20th anniversary concert at Mariners Church in Irvine, California, along with 4-4-1, Altar Boys, Crumbächer, and Undercover.

Later that year, the band toured in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Chase the Kangaroo, playing the album in its entirety, followed by a selection of tracks from Loudest Sound.

[55] Kickstarter stretch goals have contributed six additional releases: the Christmas-themed Peace, Love & Light EP (2013), the live albums Live and on the Wing in Music City (2014) and The Livestream Bootleg (2015),[56] the "unplugged" Kissers and Killers — The Acoustic Sessions (2018), the ambient Words Spoken and Floating on Clouds (2023), and 7 + 77s = 9: Reinterpretations (2024), which features newly-recorded versions of earlier work, including a cover version performed by the 77s.

[61] The following year, the Choir—now a threesome—began releasing non-album singles at the pace of one every other month, starting with a cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" and followed by "Mystical World," their first original composition after Chandler's death.

[62] In March 2021, the Choir shifted to Patreon where they continue to release new tracks exclusively for subscribers, including a 2021 re-recording of "Render Love" for the Electric Jesus film soundtrack.

[29] Deep Cuts, also released in 2021, was the band's first studio album without contributions from Chandler, as bass duties were primarily helmed by session musician Chris Donohue,[11] with two tracks featuring bassist Stephen Mason from Jars of Clay.

Daugherty and Hindalong have produced and recorded several worship albums featuring other contemporary Christian music artists, including their own At the Foot of the Cross series.

[69] Volume One: Clouds, Rain, Fire was released in 1992,[69] and the song "Beautiful Scandalous Night" would later be re-recorded by the Choir eight years later for their Grammy-nominated Flap Your Wings album.

[73] In 2023, Hindalong would also join with Slocum, Madeira, Jimmy Abegg and Ben Pearson to form The Ascendants and use Kickstarter to launch their debut album, The Fellowship of the Broken.

[75] Before his death in 2018, Chandler was the bass player for both Daniel Amos and that band's side project, the Swirling Eddies, for many years, pre-dating his work with the Choir.