Singers

There are singers, there are Karaoke singers and then there are vocalists. Most singers can sing pretty well, if the tune is comfortably within their range and wheelhouse. Karaoke singers have between two and ten tunes that they can really wail on, but otherwise, they’re lost, and especially if they’re not singing to the original track, or a close facsimile. A vocalist can sing harmonies (plural) and stay on pitch when someone else sings harmony; they can cover not just a range of songs, but a range of styles and they know exactly what their range is, give or take a few half-steps, because they’re musicians. You can be a singer and NOT be a musician; the classic joke goes, “How do you know a singer is on your porch? They can’t find the key and they don’t know when to come in.” I’d take a good vocalist over a good singer, six ways from Sunday, but a really great singer? They might have crap for range or a bad voice; they may only have one style, but they own that one. They might lack power, control and even breath support, but they can emote, they have charisma and they can command your attention without demanding it. A great singer is a blessing from the Almighty. A few quick examples: Elvis and Sinatra had pipes and amazing control, but Sinatra was notoriously pitchy. I’d give Sinatra the edge, because his phrasing just kept getting better, his whole career. And then, there’s Jagger, Bono and Dylan; people who weren’t naturally blessed, but did a lot with a little, thereby proving that you don’t have to be Prince or Stevie Wonder. You can just be Tom Petty or John Fogerty. And that’s enough. Just as long as your mom knows it’s you, when your song comes on the radio.