# Great guitarists who are terrible singers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685 "2006-02-15T21:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/41 "2006-02-16T14:21:49Z")
Ry Cooder’s voice is nothing special, and he sang all over his 70s and 80s albums. Not awful, just kind of flat and lifeless. I’m not sure what the litmus test for “reasonably well” is, but if he got up in a bar and sang karaoke nobody would guess he was a professional musician. More to the point of the OP, I think most talented instrumentalists will see their limitations and keep their singing to a minimum of simple tunes or novelty-type tracks. Examples: I’m not a huge fan, but I do recognize that the late Michael Hedges was an immensely talented guitarist, and I heard him sing live once and his voice was very ho-hum. Ditto jazzman Larry Coryell, who sang a song or two when I saw him years ago. Like Hendrix or Carlos Santana or Robbie Robertson, they weren’t flat-out Shaggs bad, just much more limited compared to their guitar playing. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/42 "2006-02-16T14:58:27Z")
Back in 1979, Keith Richards got busted for heroin in Canada. As part of his sentence, he had to do some free concerts as a "community service " sort of thing. He put together a group called ["The New Barbarians "](http://www.geocities.com/joan_2k/NB_1979.htm) that had a rather amazing lineup. In addition to Keith, the was fellow Stones guitarist Ron Wood, keyboardist extraordinaire Ian McLagen (who had played with Wood in the Faces), and bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke. After doing their free shows in Canada, they went on the road, and I saw them in Atlanta. Trouble was, they forgot to add a vocalist, and Richards and Wood did all the singing. What a mixed bag! Unbelievable musicianship and the worst night of singing I have ever heard in my life! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/43 "2006-02-16T15:02:53Z")
> [@Ichbin Dubist](#): > > More to the point of the OP, I think most talented instrumentalists will see their limitations and keep their singing to a minimum of simple tunes or novelty-type tracks. Very true, but there are some top-talent guitarists who are also truly amazing singers, too. - Vince Gill started as a session guitarist and has chops for days, but ended up developing a truly great career as a solo artist that emphasizes his singing. This is straight from the Glen Campbell school - another over-the-top great guitarist (despite playing Ovations - yechhh) who evolved into a singing-first solo act. Roy Clark has already been mentioned… - Stevie Ray Vaughn was a great singer - Keith Urban is a surprisingly great guitarist - I mean really good, not just decent for a pretty-boy singer - Bonnie Raitt is a highly respected slide player whose singing is some of the best out there… Just a few to point out the other side of the OP… ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/44 "2006-02-16T15:43:31Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Trouble was, they forgot to add a vocalist, and Richards and Wood did all the singing. What a mixed bag! Unbelievable musicianship and the worst night of singing I have ever heard in my life! I remember Richards’ um…unique vocal stylings from the X-Pensive Winos records. It wasn’t too bad after the initial assault. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/45 "2006-02-16T16:07:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > - Bonnie Raitt is a highly respected slide player whose singing is some of the best out there… > > Just a few to point out the other side of the OP… And to totally hijack the thread for just a moment– At the end of the Grammys, there was a tribute to New Orleans, with just about everybody. Elvis Costello and Joe Perry were playing guitar, Bonnie was singing backup. I mused to myself “why is the best guitar player on stage not playing guitar?” Now back to your regularly scheduled program. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/46 "2006-02-16T16:57:09Z")
I would like to second Eddie Van Halen. Damn, that sounds like an old diesel Ford running at about 25rpm. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/47 "2006-02-16T17:13:58Z")
I came here to mention Alex Lifeson, but I see that he’s been mentioned. I will say that his ability to sing a little back up with Rush improved after their tenth album or so. > [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I’ll also second Eric Johnson, and add Joe Satriani. Now now…Satch was a passable singer. Remember “Big Bad Moon?” I thought he sounded a little like George Thoroughgood. Not great, but not wretched either. I liked his instrumental stuff much better. > [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > Roger Waters, though a bass player rather than a guitarist, and not even a good bass player really, definitely not a good singer. You’re just starting trouble with this, aren’t you? Waters has a great voice for the wacked out stuff he does. Check out his solo efforts if you want to hear him ‘sing’ a little more than he did with Floyd. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/48 "2006-02-16T17:15:55Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Back in 1979, Keith Richards got busted for heroin in Canada. As part of his sentence, he had to do some free concerts as a "community service " sort of thing. He put together a group called ["The New Barbarians "](http://www.geocities.com/joan_2k/NB_1979.htm) that had a rather amazing lineup. In addition to Keith, the was fellow Stones guitarist Ron Wood, keyboardist extraordinaire Ian McLagen (who had played with Wood in the Faces), and bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke. After doing their free shows in Canada, they went on the road, and I saw them in Atlanta. > > Trouble was, they forgot to add a vocalist, and Richards and Wood did all the singing. What a mixed bag! Unbelievable musicianship and the worst night of singing I have ever heard in my life! The New Barbarians were actually put together to promote Ron Wood’s album “Gimme Some Neck”. The timing of the arrest and concerts was just coincidental. I was doing some side work for a radio station in San Diego at the time and was in studio for an interview with the band the afternoon before the SD concert. I also got to watch the show from backstage. Being the last show in the states, they all had a good time and much booze was consumed during the concert. They cut short a show in L.A. a few days earlier when the arena manager banned them from drinking on stage. ---
**Author:** ![supersonic77uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@supersonic77uk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supersonic77uk)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/49 "2006-02-16T17:25:35Z")
Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood doesn’t have a mic set up ever and is so embarrased by the sound of his own voice that he never does any interviews. That part on Paranoid android “Rain Down, rain down come on rain down on me” That is Ed O’Brien not, according to popular belief, Johnny Greenwood. Johnny Greenwood : Fantastic Guitarist , unkown quantity as a singer. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/50 "2006-02-16T18:08:49Z")
> [@supersonic77uk](#): > > That part on Paranoid android “Rain Down, rain down come on rain down on me” That is Ed O’Brien not, according to popular belief, Johnny Greenwood. I had no idea it wasn’t Thom. Do you mean when they play it live? ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/51 "2006-02-16T19:22:26Z")
I’m not sure if he qualifies as a “great” guitarist, but [James Iha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Iha)’s vocals on _Let It Come Down_ are definitely nothing to write home about. Unless you’re writing to tell somebody about bad singing, I guess. 🙂 I still liked the album. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/52 "2006-02-16T19:40:13Z")
Lou Reed. He writes a nice song, but man, he cannot carry a frickin’ tune. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/53 "2006-02-17T00:44:59Z")
Agreement on **Mark Knopfler**. Also, **Mike Oldfield**. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2006, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/54 "2006-02-18T08:43:46Z")
> [@AndyPolley](#): > > You’re just starting trouble with this, aren’t you? Waters has a great voice for the wacked out stuff he does. Check out his solo efforts if you want to hear him ‘sing’ a little more than he did with Floyd. Yeah, I have all of his solo stuff, I didn’t say I don’t like him, just that he can’t sing. It is most apparent when you hear him live. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/55 "2006-04-09T01:52:20Z")
I have to nominate Eric Clapton. Say what you will… hh ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/56 "2006-04-09T08:00:55Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I have to nominate Eric Clapton. > Say what you will… > hh I was going to nominate Clapton - but then, on reflection, I can’t really say he is a truly terrible singer or a great guitarist. Frank Zappa wasn’t exactly an opera star. The Young brothers from AC/DC aren’t famous for their golden pipes, either. George Harrison was always pretty lame, too. I wouldn’t call BB King a\* terrible\* singer, but he gets mighty tiring mighty quickly. I always thought Jimi Hendrix had a great voice - and that Neil Young is one of the greatest singers ever, flat out, no money down. mm ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685/57 "2006-04-09T10:29:47Z")
I’m glad someone has already mentioned Eric Johnson. Zeus-like guitar playing, but oh, if he would _only_ give up the singing… For old people like myself who can remember the 70s, a very good example would be one of my early prog rock heroes, _Mike Oldfield_. Brilliant guitarist, wonderful virtuoso of instrumental rock, a musician who has explored almost every musical texture and mood… but he just can’t sing, can’t even produce a ‘half decent, you get the gist of the tune’ kind of vocal sound. After his first four or five albums, when he began to want to record shorter tracks and 3 minute chart-bound pop songs, he had to rely on a succession of ‘guest vocalists’. Since the media (and especuially TV directors directing pop music shows) tend to always focus on the singer, this led to some strange moments when a ‘Mike Oldfield’ song appeared on TV and Mike himself was more or less a shadowy figure, un-noticed in the background. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-guitarists-who-are-terrible-singers/344685.md?page=2)