Sing GL or impersonate GL

[Doug Letcher]

Like some of you, I am an aspiring musician
in a small band. We attemt pretty much
everything from 50's to present. I do
quite a few GL songs and my question is this:
Do you find it hard to sing Gord songs
without sounding like you are trying to
impersonate him? I just think he has one of those voices and types of songs that
demand a certain tone, feel, and certain
something to them that draws you in to
mimicking them. Just curious. Later.

Doug

Yes. I hum them in my head all the time, and every once in a rare while, it sounds like I'm trying to hard(to me).

[The Intended]

Yes, I have the same problem. GL songs seem to demand a GL voice. Luckily, my voice has roughly the same range as Gord's (not as pretty as his, of course, but what can you do), and it's like second nature to drop into that deep, booming timber whenever singing one of his songs. Fitzgerald wouldn't be the same without that timber, and many other songs would be so much less recognizable. It's almost a requirement to "impersonate" Gord on these songs, and I do so with the utmost respect (even if I don't always quite hit the mark...).

Dan

[Borderstone]

My voice can do the "Sundown","Carefree Highway" & "..."Read My Mind" pitch but I can't grasp that '60s vibrato of his without sounding as if I stubbed my toe!

I can even do his country voiced work like "Red Velvet" but if I try "Wreck" it's just to long to get through and keep up the vocal range. So safe to say i can sing GL,if I keep it simple. I sing other songs by other artists very well though.
Later!

------------------
Borderstone,gonna post some lines tonight!:D

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by Doug Letcher:
Like some of you, I am an aspiring musician
in a small band. We attemt pretty much
everything from 50's to present. I do
quite a few GL songs and my question is this:
Do you find it hard to sing Gord songs
without sounding like you are trying to
impersonate him? I just think he has one of those voices and types of songs that
demand a certain tone, feel, and certain
something to them that draws you in to
mimicking them. Just curious. Later.

Doug

No, I don't think I'm quite capable of impersonating Gord.

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[morning glory]

I think the only person capable of doing a good impersonation of Gord is Gord... and he does a great job of impersonating himself <giggle. (darn good). I'm just glad no one has to impersonate him now.

[morning glory]

Dear Doug DMD3 Borderstone Intended and Cathy,
I know you all have pretty wonderful voices or you probably wouldn't say so...I have heard some of the wonderful voices available through this website and I have been amazed at the talented individuals who frequent this site and enjoy Gord music. I am glad you are all so talented, for myself, nope, not even vaguely Gord league here. I am glad you all interpret his music the way you feel it, I am not that fortunate, so, i will leave the singing to Gord and you all... the world wil be a better place for it. <giggle>

[Borderstone]

I'd send my voice over the internet but I'm afraid I'll be mistaken for a computer virus! Actually,I would rather play to a packed house of real people! If I can ever acheive such a thing. Later!

[ January 22, 2006, 15:42: Message edited by: Borderstone ]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Borderstone:
[B] I can't grasp that '60s vibrato of his without sounding as if I stubbed my toe!

Like "Steel Rail Blues"?

[johnfowles]

This is one of Doug Letcher's more recent topics
In another one at:-
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...620;p=1#000000
he had just had an operation and like Gord had been scared so I do hope he is still OK.
There are IMHO not enough Candian disk jockeys posting here sfter all
John Fowles

[johnfowles]

This was an interesting posting by "missing" member Doug Letcher.
in another posting at:-
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...620;p=1#000000
he had at he time recently undergone an obviously serious operation so I do hope he is OK.
we do not have too many Canadian disk jockey members after all
John Fowles

[Borderstone]

To answer that guy who's no longer here.

I "can" do "Steel Rail Blues".
No way though would I ever attempt,"The First Time Ever...etc. " Too much!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ January 22, 2006, 15:43: Message edited by: Borderstone ]

[New 12 String Mike]

I sing in Gord's basic range anyway and I've been doing his songs for a long time.

I don't think I mimic him, but I do try to vary things a little. I'll speed up or slow down a line, etc., vary the cadence, that kind of thing. Mostly, I sing them the way he wrote them. Since I don't perform anymore, I just do them for me.

One thing though. I always thought that Gord held his six string at a very steep angle when finger picking, until I switched from playing a roundback Ovation to a Martin Dred. I now hold the Martin the same way he plays his. It works better that way! So, you could say I copy that.

[Yves SAVARIAUD]

Bonjour ! Hi all !
The first times I have sang some of GL's songs, it was whithout only know that he existed. The songs were sang by Tony Rice. I loved these song as soon as I heard them ! And the first time I ever heard GL him self was with the collaboration of J. Fowles wo indicated me some videos on the net.
So...(if I understood the primary question)it s possible to sing his songs without having the influence of his tone. But after listening and seeing him I feeel that ther is a really great parallel between the sound, the physical, and the spitit of the sounds... (sorry if you do not understand me very well, may be I m not abble to transcript what I think)
Yves SAVARIAUD - France

[Yves SAVARIAUD]

Correction
spirit of the songs * (sorry)
Yves

[char]

Yves -
I close my eyes and hear your accent and understand everything you say!

It must be because I live in Canada where French is one of our offical languages!'lol
Char

[SilverHeels]

<<It must be because I live in Canada where French is one of our offical languages!'lol>>

Yeh, right!
LOL

[Cathy]

Originally posted by SilverHeels:
<<It must be because I live in Canada where French is one of our offical languages!'lol>>

Yeh, right!
LOL

I see you got your website address to appear. It's not an active address, though. You forgot to put in the slashes. It should be:
http://www.brunazanelli.com

[The Rez]

Doug,

Here's my half-cent . . .

Audiences *want* the band to sound like the record - whatever record by whomsoever. Avoid this at all costs. Be yourself and find your own horizon.

I'm a baritone, so the *tag* I often got stuck w/ before I found *me* was, "Wow, you sound just like Neil Diamond!" While it was meant as a compliment, I did everything I could to *not* sound like Neil Diamond. It's so very, very easy to fall into, however. Just like a tenor singing Gord.

But, hey, even Brother Ray started out sounding so much like Nat Cole and Charles Brown. It kept him a working musician, but it wasn't until Ray Charles Robinson found Brother Ray that he grew and wore his own clothes.

No sin in sounding like your influences . . . in the beginning. Just don't stop there. Create something new that, if your influences heard you, they'd say, "My Man!!!!"

Blessings,

The Rez

PS: *My Man!!!!* ain't restricted by gender, btw

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by Cathy:
quote:Originally posted by SilverHeels:
<<It must be because I live in Canada where French is one of our offical languages!'lol>>

Yeh, right!
LOL

I see you got your website address to appear. It's not an active address, though. You forgot to put in the slashes. It should be:
http://www.brunazanelli.com [/QUOTE]Mais oui Cathy and Bru can have a slash for me whilst she's at it

[The Rez]

PS:

For Someday:

I think it's absolutely *Grand* to play Metallica followed up by Pussy Willows, Cat Tails!!

There's an interesting dynamic to this being on-stage thing. Even in clubs, you can take an audience where you want them to go - rather than be a human jukebox. Give a little to 'em - then teach a little to 'em.

It's a very good feeling to decline someone's offer of a generous tip to play a song . . .
then play it anyway. Now, I enjoy tips as much as the next saloon musician (a Sinatra compliment to us all, btw) but not when they think they can buy you.

Sounds to me like you've got wonderful control. I'd love to have the opportunity to see you in action. I figure you know how to both entertain and direct a crowd.

ATTABOY-GIRL!!!!

Blessings,

The Rez

[SilverHeels]

Cathy,
thanks for pointing that out. I hope I have rectified the error.

[Cathy]

Originally posted by SilverHeels:
Cathy,
thanks for pointing that out. I hope I have rectified the error.

It's all fixed now. I clicked on it and went directly to your web site.

The bill for my services is in the mail. :D

Glad I could help,

[SilverHeels]

Cathy, cheque (or even check) will be mailed to you directly. :D

[Borderstone]

Hey,Someday. Your friends sound like the typical,narrow minded kind of people who think music doesn't all come from the same place.

Next time they tease ya,tell 'em this;

"It takes no more brains to make loud music than it does laid back music. Whoever the artist,they all have the same goal,to entertain!

[img]tongue.gif[/img] <----Then stick your toung out at 'em like that! :D