History:

Rebirth was a folk rock band from the Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The group was formed from the ashes of another band on campus, The Manifest Destiny. That group consisted of Rob Eby on acoustic guitar and vocals, Elaine Warfel on lead vocals, Mel Lehman on drums, Jack Rutt on upright bass and cello, Kenny Brunk on vocals, guitar, and harpsichord, and Harley Derstine on lead vocals. 

The Manifest Destiny recorded an album at the college theater in a very primitive folk fashion. It featured reimaginings of pop tunes into gospel anthems. The album was released in early 1969 and the group swiftly disbanded. 

Eby, Warfel, and Lehman joined up with guitarist and bassist Dean Clemmer and guitarist Jim Krabill to jam. The five formed the band Rebirth in the autumn of 1969. Immediately, the group's sound changed into a more mainstream folk rock sound, courtesy of Eby and Clemmer's past experiences in rock bands. Their first recording, a single fundraising the rescue of a library, was recorded in December 1969 and January 1970. 

The band hit the studio a few months later and recorded a full length album. The result, "Into The Light" was released in 1970. The album was a major departure from The Manifest Destiny. The group kept their gospel message mostly hidden, opting for bubblegum lyricism instead. The album also featured mostly original material, including songs from Clemmer, Lehman, and Krabill. The album’s sound consisted of folk rock and garage rock with hints of psychedelic pop throughout. 

Each member contributed a variety of instrumentation to the album. Elaine Warfel sang the majority of the songs, but also contributed harpsichord and organ. Mel Lehman progressed on the drums compared to his last appearance. On his previous recording with The Manifest Destiny, he only played military marching beats. Now, he can swing a bit and plays heavier beats. He also played piano and organ on several cuts. Dean Clemmer contributed lead electric guitar, bass guitar, and acoustic guitar. Krabill stuck to acoustic rhythm guitar but also played trumpet. Rob Eby mainly played bass guitar, but also contributed some rhythm guitar and the drums on Lehman's cuts. 

The album proved moderately successful for a local band and was a hit at the college. The band continued performing live, experimenting with new sounds on the way. They toured both the west coast and midwest. Two more recordings would be released by the band in 1971 and 1972. 

First was another studio album titled "On The Road". Recorded in Virginia, the album featured the band in their most experimental form. Covers of CCR, Nilsson, and The Rascals were performed alongside a variety of original material. This was the group's most psychedelic affair. 

A compilation, featuring the same cover, was released in 1972 titled "Rebirth". Some tracks were remixed and some backing tracks were re-recorded. After this compilation, the band broke up while at their peak popularity. This was due to their impending graduation from the university. 

Elaine Warfel and Jim Krabill joined up with The Festival Singers, a Lancaster based gospel / play troupe. They recorded an album with them titled "Reunion" in 1972. Both got several vocal spots, usually as a duo. Those tracks have a folkier vibe to them compared to the classical choral tracks on the rest of the record. It is likely Krabill contributed acoustic guitar to the backing ensemble. 

In 2012, Rebirth's recordings were re-released by South Korean label Big Pink. Unlike most of the recordings, this was an official reissue endorsed by the band members in 2016. The group's work has been noted in books The Acid Archives and The Archivist, showcasing their lasting reach. The trio of Eby, Kabrill, and Clemmer would reunite and periodically jam into at least the early 2010's.