CHAMPAIGN - In the 1960s, Chuck Sweitzer kicked out the jams in rock-and-roll bands, playing gigs with headliners like Procul Harum, Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger and MC5.

A native of Lansing, Mich., Sweitzer, 68, played lead guitar and sang with Plain Brown Wrapper, a radical underground group which occasionally played to huge crowds at rock festivals in the Woodstock era.

While other rockers of that era are still drawing crowds as they sing their oldies on tours, Sweitzer has found a new way to express his talents.

In 1999, Sweitzer joined the Singing Men of 'GNN, a newly formed choir who hailed from a variety of musical backgrounds, ages, occupations, races, denominations and social classes.

What they had in common was a love for singing and a willingness to use their talents to proclaim their Christian faith.

After almost a decade of performing together at churches, malls and festivals, Sweitzer has not lost his enthusiasm for the choir, an outreach of WGNN, a White Heath-based Christian radio station.

"No group I have ever been in has given me as much satisfaction," Sweitzer said. "I've played for bigger crowds but I've never had more satisfaction."

The choir probably sang to its largest audience at the Assembly Hall one year ago, when the men performed the national anthem before the Harlem Globetrotters show. They have been allotted time to sing a few more songs this Friday, when the Globetrotters return to the basketball arena.

Mark Burns, general manager and co-founder of WGNN, was working at his broadcast tower near Fisher in May, 1999, when he first had the idea to form a men's choir.

While reading his Bible in his tower office, he came upon this passage in the 40th Psalm: "He has put a new song in my mouth - praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord ¦ Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust."

A spiritual man who has established the radio station with his wife, Carrie, in a similar way, Burns believed God was sending him a message to begin another new ministry.

"God said I was to gather men to sing and declare the wonders of God," Burns said.

"I knew clearly I was. We were going to go before people to declare his goodness."

Burns, whose musical ability was limited to inserting tapes and CDs, began praying for a choir director. A few days later, he was seated at a table at a prayer breakfast with Barrington Coleman, a University of Illinois voice professor.

"I asked him if he would be willing to come and participate," Burns recalled.

It turned out that Coleman and his wife had been praying that he could use his talents to serve God with people his own age, in addition to his many students.

With a first-rate director, the choir quickly grew, drawing men from all over the WGNN listening area. Their first public engagement, at the National Hot Air Balloon Championship in Rantoul, drew a large crowd.

"From that point we grew and flourished," Burns recalled.

After Coleman directed the group for nearly five years, he handed the baton to Stephen McClarey, whose numerous credits include formerly directing the Decatur Park Singers. Burns said McClarey has built on Coleman's foundation, as he whips the singers into shape, striving for musical perfection.

"Barrington's goal was always to get the song into our heart. He wanted us to sound good, but his passion was that we sang passionately," Burns said. "Steve, on the other hand, really works us to sing to the excellence of God. He is always fine tuning our technique. He helps us to sound better."

The group, which has had more than 200 singers since its founding, is welcoming new singers and searching for new venues at which to perform. Singing ability is optional.

Virgil Suits, 67, who joined the Singing Men shortly after it was formed, was hooked right away.

"I'm 6 feet 4," Suits said, with his trademark grin that rarely fades. "When I got out of rehearsal I felt 7 feet 4. It's gone uphill ever since. I've never been a part of such a close-knit group of Christian men."

hfreeman@herald-review.com|421-6985

If you go

WHAT: Singing Men of 'GNN, singing before Harlem Globetrotters show

WHEN: Singing Men at 6:15, Globetrotters at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9

WHERE: Assembly Hall, Champaign

COST: $16 to $55; For $7 discount for WGNN listeners call Rose at Assembly Hall, 333-5404

ON THE NET: www.greatnewsradio.org