How great singers' voices have or have not held up over time

[o0Ampy0o]

On 4/27/2023 at 8:01 AM, jerrythek said:

I think the better point is to say it's not the same performance. I don't think a song has changed because of key, or instrumental accompaniment. Plenty of bands keep rearranging their music for artistic and musical reasons, not just singer's range. One of my favorites, Little Feat have evolved their performances over the years, holding on to central riffs and sections of songs, but also playing around with the tune, the parts, the grooves, even some harmonic choices. It's still the same song, just a different interpretation of it.

 

 

It's a different singer even if it is the original singer. That opens it up to who can cover certain songs. I doubt many younger listeners equate some original performances with more recent renditions of the same song by the original singer.  It is an undeniable perspective that a significantly different voiced singer has to do it differently and many times so different it does not serve the song well. 

[Al Quinn]

I don't associate "not held up well" with having less range in later life.

 

Elton John is probably the best example I can think of. His voice and range has obviously changed through the years but, to me, it sounds great throughout. I like the fuller sound of older Elton's voice.

 

Some older singers I've seen in recent years that were outstanding are Gladys Knight, Tony Bennett, and Jon Anderson (with Anderson, Rabin, & Wakeman at the Beacon Theater). I saw Yes several times during the 70's and thought the older Jon sounded almost the same as the younger Jon. He was incredible! When I saw Tony he was in his late 80's. For an encore he put down the mic and sang a song accapella (literally unplugged). His voice filled the venue (was called Westbury Music Fair but is called something else now). I saw Gladys a couple of months ago -- outstanding! 

 

I thought Cyndi Lauper sounded better at the recent Joni Mitchell Gershwin Prize ceremony than she did when she was younger. It was nice hearing Joni Mitchell sing at her ceremony. Her voice has changed quite a bit through the years but she always sounds wonderful to me.