Where are the baritones in popular music?
August 20, 2010
Why are so few baritone singers in pop/rock/soul music?
The exceptions are notable: Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies, a deep rich voice intoning life’s strange side. Nick Cave, also. In the 70s, there was Barry White…whew, his thang was hanging low.
Brad Roberts - No blonds among the baritones
Neil Diamond - sideburns are a must also
Barry White - the ultimate bass-baritone intonations
And who can forget Neil Diamond going back to the 60s. There’s a man for ya. No wussie songs – well, except for “You Don’t Bring me Flowers” (albeit a duet).
Did the “boy soprano” thing start with the street corner doo-wop groups, or before that, with barbershop quartets (i.e. somebody had to sing way up high to fill in the chords)? Frankie Valli (Four Seasons), and my hero, Brian Wilson, took the notes to new heights in the 60s, usually relying on falsetto. Most Motown male artists were all about it too.
But then the harder rockers figured out how to add some grit to their alto range. There was shrill Robert Plant, raspy Rod Stewart, manic Roger Daltrey, attitude-flaunting Mic Jagger, country-boy John Fogerty. Tons of others.
The fact is, most male vocalists push beyond tenor territory and concentrate on the alto range. This wasn’t planned ahead of time – but it just so happens that this range sets itself apart nicely from the pitches and the sonic blend within instrumental backing tracks.
Ever notice how easy it is for popular male and female singers to sing duets with close harmonies? It’s because the guy spends all day singing in the same range as the girl. .
Assume you’re a guy with average gonads and hormones. Try singing up there where
Daryl Hall is. Attempt Neil Young’s Helpless without resorting to falsetto.
Karoke-wise, it’s a lot easier to sing a James Taylor song – he’s down a little lower.
The real anomaly is Michael McDonald. Somehow he sings high up in the alto range but maintains a certain manly gruffness – although his vocal sound has also been described as “marble mouthed.”
Darius Rucker, first with Hootie & the Blowfish and now with a second career in alt-country, would seem to fit the bill.
If Neil Diamond had died in a car or plane crash in, say, 1970, he would have become as lionized as Buddy Holly, because his 60s-era songs are great. “Cherry Cherry,” “Red, Red Wine,” “Sweet Caroline” and so many others. Unfortunately, he went on to produce a decade of dreck such as “I am–I said,” and the above-mentioned “flowers.” Too bad.
Darius, yes, good one. The Blowfish sophomore album was so bland, however, that they seemed to disappear after their first big hits. And old Neil – Cherry, Cherry was (is) a standard but tasty classic 3-chord rock/pop tune.
I don’t think Billy Eckstine had sideburns to speak of.
Lou Rawls has a nice, rich baritone. Also Leo Kottke, although he’s probably not considered popular, except with the folk crowd- and not the greatest singer either. He describes his own voice as ” geese farts on a muggy day”, though I actually like his singing.
Low Lou Rawls – ah yes, I knew there were more. And Leo. His “geese farts” reference is legendary. On some of his albums, he would have been better off just doing his wonderful acoustic guitar thang.
Sly Stone got pretty low sometimes, I think- though they traded off on vocals so much that I didn’t always know who was singing what.
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Heard Eddie Vedder’s Ukelele Songs and he also sings in a baritone range a lot of the time.