supah_g - Posted - 10/08/2008:  20:44:59

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I haven't often found too many discussions here about great voices. I'm inspired to start a discussion. There are some great voices that are accompanied by great banjos I've heard lately.

Truth be told, it was mostly Dan Gellert's awsome Old Timey voice & phrasing what freaked me out lately. Dan's pickin' is of course very tasty. I love that too. I love it more with his vox.

I recently received a few banjo-centric CD's via mail order. Dan's stuff stirred me on a certain contemporary 2 CD package. Much of the rest did not stir me. A lot of technical virtuosity. Not a lot of other "stir factor" on this record for me. There are are a few of course that shine brightly, but not as many as I had expected. The difference to me was great songs with great voice. Dan outshines the rest by a country mile on this record, IMHO.

Love it Dan! Great work, Great Voice!

What stirs y'all?

g.

brokenstrings - Posted - 10/08/2008:  21:05:40

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I'm glad you brought the subject up. I LOVE voice and banjo. I could mention Sheila Kay Adams of North Carollina, voice and banjo. Though she had some kind of stroke that in recent years has interfered with her banjo playing.

Will be sure to get ahold of some Dan Gellert recordings.



Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

jamie_t123 - Posted - 10/08/2008:  21:15:51

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The neat thing is you don't have to be an opera star to have a great voice for banjo music....just sing from the heart!

Never get between a Woman and her Banjo!

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/08/2008:  22:20:30

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quote:

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Originally posted by jamie_t123

The neat thing is you don't have to be an opera star to have a great voice for banjo music....j

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Of course there's Rhannon Giddens if you want to hear an opera singer with banjo.... Joe Newberry's another fine banjo-playing singer. Maybe the two best at using the banjo to accompany the voice are Pete and Peggy Seeger.


Bill

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Edited by - Bill Rogers on 10/08/2008 22:23:15

Banjo75 - Posted - 10/08/2008:  23:53:05

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I would sing a lot more while playing if I was better at dodging rocks.

This machine surrounds OCD and forces it to surrender.
Playing folk on my banjo since 2008.

maxmax - Posted - 10/09/2008:  00:56:24

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Dan Gellert is probably my favourite old-time musician! I listen to his CD all the time. His daughter Rayna is not far behind though.

But my favorite voice of all time, all genres, is Iris DeMent. Her voice really touches me.

Max

banjo bill-e - Posted - 10/09/2008:  12:03:32

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---"Of course there's Rhannon Giddens if you want to hear an opera singer with banjo."

And I get to hear her tonight! Carolina Chocolate Drops and Old Crow Medicine Show at the Ryman Auditorium. What a birthday present!
Hey supah g, Nothing has rocked my world quite like Dan Gellert's wonderful CD, "Waiting on the Break of Day".
The rhythm in his playing is what I hope to achieve some day. And it makes me grin every time that I hear it.

------------------
Bill

I''m trying for that "ragged, but right" sound. I''m half way there!

brokenstrings - Posted - 10/09/2008:  19:22:04

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Frank Proffitt sang very effectively to the banjo. Not an exceptional voice, but better than Pete Seeger's.

Hedy West?

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 10/09/2008:  20:43:08

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Dan is a tasteful player and a good singer. I have to admit I'm not very enthusiastic about a lot of old time singers - too shrill man, too piercing. A lot of the females whine too much and the males sing a single note that is not in tune with any instrument played in the western hemisphere.
There are some good voices around - Scott Ainslie, Walt Michael, Rhiannon Giddens etc. But you don't have to be a professional singer - just make sure your voice isn't annoying to the majority of listeners. I think Mac Benford's cracked tenor is jes'fine and can listen to Fields Ward (Wade's brother and the most common singer on the Bogtrotters tracks - and he made a couple lps too) or Tommy Jarrell all night.
As we age we tend to lose a lot of vocal ability but to me a cracked old voice still sounds waaay better than a nasty whining young voice. Don't whine if you want me to buy your cd.

If you are interested in what I say and would like to know more, it ony cost the price of an email. Write me at:
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
and I will send you a copy of the entire Rocket Science Banjo with all the text now in PDF, plus all the exercise tabs and jpgs as well as "25 tunes" (which is now up to about 38) in banjo tab, playable with the MIDI built into your computer, so you can play along at whatever speed you choose to set.
put RSB in the subject line.
I neither keep nor re-use your email

You can watch the videos for some Rocket Science Banjo subjects starting here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRuf4X0X7g
Banjo Brad is hosting How To Mold A Mighty Pinky adn other material at
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html

torhougen - Posted - 10/09/2008:  21:19:26

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quote:

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Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb- just make sure your voice isn't annoying to the majority of listeners.

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When I first listened to Roscoe Holcomb and his "The High Lonesome Sound" during rush hour traffic, I thought it was annoying.
Thankfully...later, I listened to it again (and again) and developed a much deeper appreciation for his vocals talents.

janolov - Posted - 10/09/2008:  22:09:42

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My three favorite singers are:
Buell Kazee, he has a clear schooled voice that goes very well to some of the ballades and songs he is singing. (it can be discussed if he sings old-timey)
Frank Proffitt
Roscoe Holcomb and his high lonesome sound.

Jan-Olov

witty banjo related username - Posted - 10/10/2008:  00:38:44

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Dick Burnett and Uncle Dave Macon for that crazy old man sound, and Bascom Lamar Lunsford... what awesomeness!