# Bands with three or more members who let everyone sing lead on at least one song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 17, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816 "2023-04-17T20:22:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/21 "2023-04-17T22:32:58Z")
I think all the members of Phish have sung lead at some point. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/22 "2023-04-17T22:38:58Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > The 1975- incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham. I think Mick Fleetwood may have sung lead with a different incarnation but not this one. John McVie never did . ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/23 "2023-04-17T22:58:52Z")
If vocal groups count, of the three Pointer Sisters that remained after Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977 … all three of Anita, June, and Ruth Pointer sang lead at various points. Anita sang lead on a majority of the radio hits, but June (“He’s So Shy”, “Dare Me”) and Ruth (“Automatic”) got their share of airplay, too. ---
**Author:** ![RobotDevilDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RobotDevilDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobotDevilDog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/24 "2023-04-17T23:22:33Z")
Do supergroups count? Everyone in the Traveling Wilburys sang lead. But they were all pretty good singers in their careers before that. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/25 "2023-04-17T23:48:33Z")
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/26 "2023-04-17T23:55:23Z")
Everyone in the second incarnation of Utopia\* sang lead vocals at some point. \*Todd Rundgren Kasim Sulton Willie Wilcox Roger Powell ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/27 "2023-04-17T23:58:19Z")
The Move were an English rock band from the late '60s and early '70s; they were much more successful in England than in the U.S., where, if they’re known for anything, it’s for being the band from which emerged the Electric Light Orchestra. The Move had seven members over the course of four studio albums, before folding when ELO took off: Ace Kefford, Bev Bevan, Roy Wood, Carl Wayne, Trevor Burton, Rick Price, and Jeff Lynne, all of whom sang lead on at least one song. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/28 "2023-04-18T00:45:04Z")
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Various lineups of the Fugs had multiple members listed as vocalists. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/29 "2023-04-18T01:59:22Z")
> [@Galactus](#): > > Did Ace Freely ever sing lead in a KISS song? I’d add in the fact Kiss simultaneously released solo albums for all four members. They were released _as_ a Kiss project as opposed to other bands’ member’s solo offerings. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/30 "2023-04-18T02:13:03Z")
King’s X, who were my other favorite band in the early 1990s, are a trio, all of whom have sung lead although the bassist, Doug Pinnick, does most of the singing. Styx has had multiple singers in their various incarnations, with Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw being the best known, but James Young has sung lead on some of their Deep Tracks, as did the late John Curulewski. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/31 "2023-04-18T02:23:44Z")
The Traveling Wilburys. [http://www.musicko.com/the-traveling-wilburys/the-traveling-wilburys-who-sings-what](http://www.musicko.com/the-traveling-wilburys/the-traveling-wilburys-who-sings-what) ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/32 "2023-04-18T03:55:07Z")
Transatlantic. Neal Morse and Roine Stolt sing lead on most of their material, but Pete Trewavas and Mike Portnoy take the lead from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/33 "2023-04-18T05:51:55Z")
Pink Floyd if you include _One of These Days_ (Nick Mason did the single vocal line). ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/34 "2023-04-18T07:06:24Z")
Speaking of which…just now…in lookin into “Songs not sung by the lead singer”…I found out Roy Harper (!) sang ‘Have A Cigar’. I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/35 "2023-04-18T07:28:10Z")
Yeah. According to an interview in my _Wish You Were Here_ music book, both Roger and David were having trouble singing it (David sings in tune but can get a bit rough, Roger kinda can’t sing at all.) So they got Roy Harper to do it. Quote from Waters below. I must’ve conflated the bit about David’s vocal quality with another interview. > …a lot of people think I can’t sing, including me a bit. I’m very unclear about what singing is. I know I find it hard to pitch, and I know the sound of my voice isn’t very good in purely aesthetic terms, and Roy Harper was recording his own album in another EMI studio at the time, he’s a mate, and we thought he could probably do a job on it. I think the only other Pink Floyd song that has a lead by a non-band member would be _The Great Gig in the Sky_ with Clare Torry. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/36 "2023-04-18T07:38:57Z")
Here’s the bit about Gilmour’s vocal quality from an Interview with David that also appeared in the _Wish You Were Here_ song book: > We have quite a bit of difficulty with vocals. I have trouble with the quality of my voice but I don’t have much difficulty keeping in tune. On the other hand, Roger has no problem with vocal quality but he does have trouble keeping in tune. > > The only time we’ve ever used tape speed to help us with vocals was on one line of The Machine Song. It was a line I just couldn’t reach so we dropped the tape down half a semitone and then dropped the line in on the track. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/37 "2023-04-19T13:36:04Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Everyone in the second incarnation of Utopia\* sang lead vocals at some point. > > \*Todd Rundgren > Kasim Sulton > Willie Wilcox > Roger Powell I can’t believe I didn’t think of this one. “Adventures in Utopia” has been on heavy rotation in my playlist lately. Utopia was a fun band to see in concert. They would sometimes all switch instruments for a couple of songs. And John “Willie” Wilcox’s motorcycle drum kit was pretty awesome. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/38 "2023-04-19T13:49:41Z")
Zappa’s bands (be they the Mothers of Invention, the Mothers, or just his unnamed backup band) often had several members who’d take the mic for a lead, particularly on his rock opera/concept albums (_Joe’s Garage_, _Thing-Fish_ and so on) in which they were playing characters from the narrative. Mainly Ike Willis but also Dale Bozzio, among others. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/39 "2023-04-19T14:03:35Z")
Barenaked Ladies ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816/40 "2023-04-19T17:26:25Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > Speaking of which…just now…in lookin into “Songs not sung by the lead singer”…I found out Roy Harper (!) sang ‘Have A Cigar’. I had no idea. I had no idea either. Hats off to him. > [@Pavelb1](#): > > I think the only other Pink Floyd song that has a lead by a non-band member would be _The Great Gig in the Sky_ with Clare Torry. And now “Hey Hey Rise Up” with Andriy Khlyvnyuk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-three-or-more-members-who-let-everyone-sing-lead-on-at-least-one-song/982816.md?page=3)