Your picks of mediocre or lousy vocals with great musicians!

+1  ! HEW wrote:
"Who's the OP? Tater? Totally disagree with the entire theme of the thread. Inferior vocals compared by whose standard? Would Louis Armstrong be considered Inferior? Kate Bush? Joe Cocker? Is it inferior or different? Or is it just personal preference?"

The premise of this thread is, at best, silly. Where would so much vocal music be without those so-called "mediocre or lousy" vocals?

Just think of the possibilities: Sinatra sings "Masters of War" and other great hits.  Jussi Björling sings "Heart of Gold" ....

Tosta wrote: "Levon Helm sounded like a country hick"  

Tosta, Perhaps you might want to retract that strange and patronizing comment. 

HEW nails it.  What the hell are "inferior vocals"???  What the hell is a "superior singer?"  All those "inferior" vocalists sound like themselves, ie: "the real thing." Their voices are the essence of their songs.

                     

Too many to name!

You’re so right Marty---Yoko is as bad as it gets. Lennon really made a fool of himself by championing her. A couple of guys I find particularly distasteful are Michael McDonald and Steve Perry, though the Bands they were in (The Doobie Brothers and Journey) were comprised of musicians I don’t consider great.

I agree with others that, I don't really see the reason for this post. I also agree with others that singers with less than perfect voices are what "makes" the songs they create, (special). It is the intent of the songwriter along with their expression/emotion that makes the song come alive! Example: Lucinda Williams! I rest my case.

+1 ps.

There are always exceptions...Kris Kristofferson...wrote many a song that (others) could have only made into hit records.

My two cents:

I think Neal Schon is a great guitarist.

The Doobie Brothers is one of my all time favorite bands.

Funny that we got a Neal Schon response to Bdp.  I was considering making one myself.  I was roped into seeing Journey last year and was struck by two (and a half) things:

1). The concert overall struck me as a completely soulless exercise in nostalgia.  

2).  These guys could play.  Expert musicians across the board.

1/2). Neal Schon, in particular, is enormously skilled.

What most struck me was how little they did with so much.  Other than a few really schmaltzy ones, a fair number of their hits are pleasant enough.  Yet, the entire show left me utterly cold.

It really comes down to personal taste.  Every musical decision they made felt calculated.  Neal Schon covered The Star Spangled Banner and demonstrated what a terrible idea that was.  His playing was certainly admirable, but No!  Do not go there!  Unless you have something truly compelling to add in your interpretation (if he did, I missed it) this is just a very, very bad idea.

I fully understand that others may see it differently, but as good as the players are, the entirety of it didn't work at all for me.  So, in summary:

If Steve Perry qualifies for this thread, I'd say that the little Philippino guy who replaced him does, too.