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I was watching Fox News and at the end of the show they featured the latest “rising star” in the C&W world. You’re listening to the lead singer (don‘t remember his name) and a very light band behind him.....as I recall maybe another guitarist and a keyboard and drums.

I think any one of you members could have done this song better than this fellow did, but......listen to the plaudits and raves by the Fox moderator at the end of the tape.

Are my hallucinating or is he that bad? In my opinion, I think if he was playing in Waco, Texas in the late 1800’s, Jessie James would have shot him for impersonating a musician.

So........what do YOU think? If you say he’s good, then I’m going to talk Don Mason into auditioning for the Letterman show!

Mark

NEW POST:

Sorry for the delay in posting this....I spent the day yesterday going through a year’s worth of FOX news broadcasts in only 24 hours (watching six screens at a time).

Anyhow, so how many just wanted to hear what I thought was a miscarriage of justice.....this “new C&W star on the horizon” appearing on a major television SHOW (who would probably finish last in a local Karaoke competition even) and how many were rooting for him to be so bad that our own “rising star” Don Mason would go for the Letterman show and show the world what the SynthZone produces.

I still say any one of you could have sung (and played) this song better. There's nothing remarkable about his voice (he’s certainly no Garth Brooks) and the playing is, shall I be kindly and say…….”limp.” No great arrangement....nothing unique about his voice except that it sounds “scratchy.“ So what’s the big fuss over him?

It was on TV in December....I’m sorry I edited out the introduction at the time. That was the big letdown. After the big intro I thought I was going to hear George Strait Part II....

Well it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. He was on key and seemed to have a lot of feeling in his voice. It is pretty hard to sound good on live TV sometimes. Vocal was too loud for the music, but that wasn't his fault.
You are right though, there are lots of people who sound as good or better, for certain.

I agree, Don.

Gary

Who are we to judge?

Don't know about you but I'm an EXPERT.
(Ex=unknown quantity, Spurt is a drip under pressure)

Realistically, I believe those of us that sing and perform nearly every day for a living can be the judges of vocal talent - Hell, it's what we've been doing for a living for decades. I we can't be the judge of good, or bad, vocal talent, then who can?

Gary

I have seen many many acts that play bars, restaurants, etc, .....
every night, weekends, etc, that really "lower the bar" also....
that's no way for them to have credibility for themselves of being judgmental to others IMO.

Hey I thought the pianist, and the guitarist did a fine job. Made all of the right chord changes, used diminished chords in the right spots and it seemed like I heard a b9 on the 6 chord which I do 96% of the time in jazz standards. Like Don said, he sang in key.

Mark you obviously do not like the guys voice and no CM at all ha ha. The guitarist on his fill-ins didn't sound country to me at all. I'd bet money he plays with jazz pros every chance he gets. I thought his licks were impressive. Of course I'm not Coltrane, Rollins or Dexter Gordon, so what do I know.

It sounded good to me. Vocal was in tune. Interesting pairing of a country vocal with a sparse jazz combo back up. He is obviously a country singer, so I'd have hear him singing more in his element to decide if I really like him or not.

I think you guys missed the point. We’re not talking about a local talent show. This is a major appearance on a well-viewed, and well-respected by many, NEWS show. It's not enough to just be "pleasant".....as Donny would say, you need to have something unique as compared to being a nicey-nicey average night-club band.

If you feel this fellow deserved that spot on the show, then I think every one of you should send your own demo in and make your own guest appearances on the different networks and give a percentage of your paycheck to Nigel!

My goodness, Don Mason at has worst, when he was pregnant and had daily morning sickness, could outdo this fellow.

Well, if YOU think he’s good, then he’s good! If you think a Ford is better than a Chevrolet, then it is.

Anyhow, I never said this, but I had the good fortune (or the misfortune) to study opera and I took opera lessons for 2-3 years a while back. I also listen to opera often. An opera singer or an opera purist who deals with absolute precise notes that are right on the money, would cringe at the first note this fellow sang (and he WAS off key)!

So, I don’t know if I’m better off now or was I better off BEFORE the opera lessons. My ear has become so acute now in how I hear sound, that I hear differently than most. I’ve had to walk away from some summer park concerts this season, because either the vocalists or the instrumentalists (or both) were so out of tune that it shook my brain loose and caused my ears to turn inward. My friends didn’t even notice!

Mark

Who really gives a crap?

I do, Mr. G!

this was very nice Mark79100. I am not sure what you are hearing but there is nothing wrong with this guys voice or style of singing.

Not every song requires someone to show off all their vocal skills . This was a laid back song and delivered with sincerity and pathos.

I have no idea what you were expecting but certainly from my view this singer delivered the song very well indeed.

opera is a completely different style of singing and the two are not comparable .

I certainly like this guys stuff !

thanks for turning me on to him.

this is another clip.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3276348048001...v=3276348048001

I'm with Spalding on this one...the guy has a great delivery and does a fine job.

Ian

Thanks to my wife, Lydia, for suggesting I use the 'SOUNDHOUND' app on my phone to find out who this is ...
Not sure who is backing him up, and apparently he only released this as a single ...
He is a C/W singer with a fair amount of success thus far ...
His recordings sound MUCH better than the posted mp3 ...



PS ... I missed seeing spalding's clip above ... would have saved me some time ...

The video is excellent. Tasteful music, good clear vocal. Makes me wanta go home for Christmas.

Mark this is not your average run of the mill country Grand old Opery Buck Owens guitar player or pianist. I can feel the Guitarist wanting to take off. The back is not as intricate but reminds me of the Steve Tyrell guys. Very tasteful. Hell even Kris Krisofferson would sound good with these guy backing him up, and he can't carry a tune in a bucket.