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Gordon Sutker, president of UNCG’s all-male a cappella group the Spartones, never expected to get a phone call from multiplatinum-selling musician Ben Folds.

“I nearly jumped out of my shoes!” says Sutker.

Folds, who attended UNCG, had selected the Spartones to be featured on his upcoming album, “Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!” and wanted to deliver the good news to Sutker.

The album, which will be released Tuesday, features a cappella groups from across the country covering a selection of Folds’ songs. All proceeds from the CD will go to the Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by the VH-1 TV network to restore musical education in U.S. public schools.

To determine which groups would be featured on the album, Folds asked collegiate groups to submit YouTube videos performing his songs. Fifteen a cappella groups, including the Spartones, were chosen from the 250 submissions.

In December 2008, The Spartones met with Folds at Swain Hall on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus to record their track, “Not the Same.” Sutker describes the experience.

“It was really relaxed,” said Sutker, who has been a member of the Spartones since his freshman year in 2006. “We did it in a few takes, three full takes I think.”

“I thought they were very good,” Folds said of the Spartones. “It became obvious how intense they are. They’re very honest with each other. They’re a very critical group, but none of them take it personally. If rock groups were as tight as that, it’d be awesome.”

The Spartones are no strangers to Folds’ music, incorporating much of it into their repertoire. Their upcoming album, “Not the Same,” is named after a Folds song — the same track they perform on “University A Cappella!”

“His music has a unique style,” Sutker said of Folds. “It has interesting vocal harmonies that are very attractive for a cappella groups. The bottom line: His music is good and that’s why many a cappella groups chose to cover his songs.”

Folds believes what he does is, “… technically conducive to a cappella. The voice leading (on my songs) is proper for a cappella. If you have a bad voice leading or a bad chorus, it just wouldn’t work for this type of music.”

Since the recording of “University A Cappella!” the Spartones have opened for a few of Folds’ concerts. They performed “Not the Same” at the Orange Peel in Asheville on Feb. 23 and at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte on March 1.

The Spartones formed in 1997. You can order a copy of their newest album, “Not the Same,” from www.cdbaby.com. They are currently producing a fifth album.

Contact Charles Wood at 373-7091 or charles.wood@news-record.com.

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