The Staples Area Men's Chorus represents a tight community of Civil Society whose members travel up to 100 miles each week to rehearse. The Chorus' eclectic repertoire spans the breadth of music from some of the world's finest composers, in its role as a partner in major works for chorus and orchestra, to slapstick variety shows. It includes music theatre, folk, pop, and classical selections, as well as some things that defy classification. 

The Staples Area Men'sChorus has been a cultural resource to Central Minnesota since 1935. The Chorus traces its origins back to a Staples Civic Chorus under the direction of Lois Cruikshank in the mid-1930's. After a hiatus during World War II, the Chorus was organized and flourished under the direction of Erling Lian in the late forties and early fifties. It became one of the first outstate groups to issue its own recordings. It was reformed again under its current director in 1971, with the urging of Doug Grossman who had sung in the group as a student und Lian. Grossman guided the group as President through much of the 70's. Early support for the Chorus came from the Staples Lions Club and the Staples Public Schools. The group has been self-supporting for most of its existence and contributes to music scholarships and cultural causes in Central Minnesota.