Comments on: Your Take: What Makes a Good Singer?

By: Markus Meyer

Markus Meyer — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:23:34 +0000

For me, lots of vocalists sound better with the right material.

For example, Gary LeVox is great with songs like “Come Wake Me Up”, but not so great with songs like “Summer Nights”.

I personally prefer rougher voices such as Jason Aldean, Bucky Covington, Blake Shelton and Kip Moore.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:41:05 +0000

I spelled Jon “John”. Bad writer.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:40:30 +0000

John–there might be. There ought to be more reviews of audiences, if you ask me., And of posters on blogs. Great performers demand great audiences! But, for some reason, there seems to be no demand for that. Maybe there should be a newsletter on listeners just for performers, then..

Never mind.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:25:46 +0000

So, if there are good singers, then mustn’t there also be bad listeners? I mean, even with Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, never mind John Prine, Townes Van Zandt – or anyone who sings, really – there are plenty of people who hear the singing but don’t feel what the song says or get the emotion of the lyrics when he sings. Are they untalented listeners?

By: bll

bll — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:46:15 +0000

To me its not the quality of the voice or vocal talent (or lack thereof) but the emotion conveyed by the singer. Trisha Yearwood and Lee Ann Womack not only have wonderful voices you feel what the song says. Same thing with Garth Brooks, who has a good voice and vocal ability, but he really conveys the emotion of the lyrics.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:02:46 +0000

While George Hones may be interesting, I love George Jones, whatever my typing let loose. With my own occasional between deadline rushing, and today’s nasty, overeager spellcheck devices, I sometimes wish we had one of those “edit after the fact” buttons on our own comments here.

It might give some people a chance to have second thoughts about comments they OUGHT to have second thoughts about, too

By: TX Music Jim

TX Music Jim — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:50:16 +0000

To my ears that is why the greatest singers are guys like Merle George jones waylon jennings because they can write or pick a great song, sing it great and do it all in a way that becomes one for the ages. That is also why to hear a Townes Van Zandt or a John Prine to one of their classics is pleasing to my ears while the can not sing great they can convey the emotion in the song in a way that is haunting and timeless.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:46:43 +0000

Clearly responses vary by what the posters want from music in general–and from songs in particular, since those are what singers, most of the time, anyhow, sing. If you want it to consist of pleasing sound, so be it; you’ll find those. But I side, strongly, with those who want it to move me, and not necessarily move me in line with my expectations. (It’s called “surprise.”) I care how much the singer makes me hear and feel the meaning of the particular son–and if they do that well with a whole bunch and variety of them, I’d say that person is a talented singer. It is not much different, to me, from accomplished acting; a Brando and your latest 10-minute TV spokesmodel don’t even have the same job. He was applying a singular, even unexplainable level of imagination and understanding to the choice–often unconscious, but not always; it’s called art–he made about how to deliver that line, speech, scene–just as George Hones does, or Frank Sinatra did, or Robert Johnson, and (boy, sorry Paul, (are you ever missing something) Bob Dylan did in his heyday, which is why he’s been recording for 50 years.
And yes, the musical equivalent of ten-minute spokesmodels may take up ear-time for a while, but you won’t give a damn a few months let alone years later. I see my job is trying to point people towards singers and music that might last more than a week.

By: Doug Gilliland

Doug Gilliland — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:00:35 +0000

I agree with Leeann. I think I tend to subconsciously evaluate a singer’s performance on a song-by-song basis.

Even though Cash, Kristofferson, Prine, etc., don’t have the greatest voices, I just can’t imagine any of the “golden-throated” singers connecting with, or delivering certain songs, any better.

Vince Gill relating the tragedy “Sam Stone?” John Berry or Gary Morris rendering “Randall Knife?” Blake Shelton and “Sunday Morning Coming Down?”

Being a good singer goes beyond having a great voice. It’s the ability to capture and convey the mood and emotion of a song in a compelling, memorable performance.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:25:15 +0000

It’s complex but I think the singer is the most important element as a great vocalist can redeem the lamest material – I could listen to Gene Watson, Marty Robbins, Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin sing just about anything. Obviously I’d rather hear Gene, Marty, Frank and Dean sing great material but in their case it is a nicety – if the material is great the perfromance will be transcendent.

On the other hand, less accomplished vocalists are often only as good as the song. I guess the key elements are vocal quality and nuance. George Strait is a good singer but his greatest strength is in his ability to pick good songs. Give him a mediocre song and George will not be able to produce a great recording (although it certainly will be listenable)

There are some singers who are so bad that nothing they sing is pleasing to my ear – Bob Dylan, John Prine and Vince Matthews come to mind, but their songwriting skills are such that almost any decent singer can sing their material and make it sound good